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!

Bleu de Chanel vs. Dylan Blue

by

Bleu de Chanel is one of the most popular men’s fragrances on the planet. As such, it will often get compared to other citrus based scents, to see if it lives up to that popularity. One such cologne, is Versace’s Dylan Blue. Which one of this fragrances is better? Bleu EDP vs. Dylan Blue. Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy? Note: I am using the EDP version of Bleu, as I consider it to be the best of them.

Tale of the Tape: Dylan Blue vs. Bleu EDP

Dylan Blue

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

Read my full review: Dylan Blue

Bleu de Chanel EDP

Notes include: grapefruit, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, tonka bean, ginger, mint, and more

Click here to try: Bleu De Chaneâ…¼ Eau De Parfum Pour Homme Spray 1.7 Fl. OZ. / 50ML.

Read my Review: Bleu de Chanel EDP

Opening

Dylan Blue opens up with its citrus blast of grapefruit and bergamot. It’s bright and juicy, surrounded by an aquatic accord, and dipped in a warm ambroxan note.

What sets this Versace apart, is the inclusion of the fig note, which really makes the opening act of Dylan Blue enjoyable.

This has always been the highlight of the fragrance for me. That touch of fig from the start, helps it to be distinct from the other famous ‘blue’ scents on the market. It is pretty short-lived, however.

Bleu de Chanel EDP starts off with lemon and grapefruit. Very similar to its competitor, but this one is flanked by spicy/fresh notes of ginger, mint, and pink pepper. It’s got depth, with a later smokiness and warmth from an amber of its own.

To my nose, the opening citrus almost comes across as an orange, sometimes. Then other times, it really is a grapefruit dominant aroma.

But, it’s opening is a spicier and fresher mix with the amber base note. Like a colder spice, sitting on top of warmer notes.

It dries down into a much smoother blend, than what you tend to get early on.

Which is better? Honestly, at the start, it is a very close race. I have grown to really like Dylan Blue’s opening act, while Bleu EDP has an interesting development, that is also great. For me, there isn’t any real separation, here.

Edge: Push

Projection

Both of these fragrances, start off with a strong sillage, before turning much more moderate. However, I think Bleu, hits the higher mark and is more consistent throughout the wear. It doesn’t run away with it, but the Chanel is the stronger of them.

Dylan Blue does pack a bit of a punch early on, it just kind of fades into a lighter moderate wear.

Edge: Bleu

Longevity

Dylan Blue is extremely consistent with how long it lasts on my skin. I always get 6-7 hours with it, no more, no less. That’s not bad, but not amazing. Bleu EDP gets me 8-9 hours of wear.

Bleu EDP isn’t a powerhouse, either. It’s never really been one on me, that will go for double digit hours and just dominate a room. Very solid overall, though.

Edge: Bleu

Versatility

Both of these fragrances, can be worn in a variety of situations. I would say, that each is good year round, but I’d give the edge to Dylan Blue in higher temperatures (the EDT of Bleu is better than either in heat).

Meanwhile, Bleu de Chanel is the more refined and mature fragrance. It is better for formal situations, but can still see plenty of use in the nightlife.

If you’re a younger guy (teens or college-age), then Dylan Blue could very well be the one that you’d want to go with. Maybe even, Bleu EDT, instead of EDP.

Edge: Bleu

 

 

Overall Scent

Dylan Blue is a nice fragrance, that could have been amazing. The opening has grown on me, over the years, and I especially like the fig note. Still, not a complete love, but I’ve found it enjoyable.

The problem is, the latter half isn’t as good, not terrible just not up to the same standard. Also, the performance is decent, but not elite level.

Bleu de Chanel EDP is the better all around cologne. I like the opening act, the smoky accents, and it’s final stages. It has better performance and just smells better, in totality. I’d actually choose any of the Bleu de Chanel fragrances over Dylan Blue.

If price is a real big factor, Dylan Blue, isn’t a bad buy. You can usually find bottles of it, much cheaper than you can any of the Chanel scents. Though, there are cheap Bleu alternatives. There’s a reason that it is a best-seller now, year in and year out. 

But, just based off the rest, BdC takes the cake.

Winner: Bleu de Chanel EDP

I Love New York for Her by Bond No. 9

by

In this last batch of samples, I received a bunch of samples of Bond No. 9 fragrances, from their line of I Love New York scents that came out 5+ years back. While I’ve only done a couple of reviews from this brand on the site thus far, I do intend to try to get through the entire collection at some point.

Today’s entry is I Love New York for Her, which is a gourmand perfume for ladies and is generally well regarded as a scent. As always, continue reading below for my full thoughts and impressions of this perfume.

What does I Love NY for Her Smell Like?

I love new york for her

Notes include: blueberry, patchouli, vanilla, peony, musk, rose, sandalwood

Click here to try: Bond No 9 I Love New York Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

The initial blast of I Love New York for her is a blend of blueberry and patchouli. It is sweet and fruity but the patchouli note comes on too strong at first for my tastes.

This is a gourmand fragrance that is supposed to invoke images of sweet pastries and I think that it succeeds on this front.

After the first few minutes, it does begin to take on more of a blueberry muffin kind of smell with a layer of vanilla and peony which gives it a floral spirit.

While I’m not too big of a patchouli fan, I actually like it somewhat here, especially once it calms down a bit. It gives I Love NY for Her a more mature character and doesn’t let it fall too far into the ‘teeny’ sweet gourmand category of scents.

That being said, it isn’t too stuffy and is actually quite a playful perfume, with its bakery motif. I like the dry down where you get the full kind of baked goods experience, with the berry notes toned down in their strength.

There’s some light floral notes, but I mostly got sandalwood, musk, and the patchouli. Along with, the remaining general sweet/frutiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff is fairly strong. I sprayed a few times on a sweater and could smell it from 9-10 feet away for hours on end. So, at the peak it does pack power and that sillage will be pretty serious.

That being said, I don’t think it’s overpowering, but it is a performer. On the skin, it definitely calms down from what it was, at the start. It’ll be on the upper end of what you could consider moderate, for a long time.

I would dare say that one should be able to get 8+ hours out of this perfume, every wear…that’s been my experience with it. It probably ventures into the 10 hour range when all of the conditions are right.

I Love New York for Her is a fun and casual scent in my opinion. It isn’t really sexy, but it is oddly appealing, I mean, blueberry muffin is naturally attractive, right? This will also function best during the cooler months of the year and I imagine it’d get kind of weird in the heat of the summer.

So, better to stick to autumn through the early part of spring.

Overall Impressions of I Love New York for Her

Overall, is I Love New York for Her worth a purchase? Depends. It is a unique scent and also performs very well. It strikes me more of a niche kind of scent…if you like blueberry, patchouli, and pastries…then this might be a go to scent or you.

However, it also is quite pricey, since it is Bond No. 9 but a full bottle might be worth the investment. Update: I’m pretty sure it’s discontinued now.

That being said, it does have plenty of appeal and will give you a ton of bang for your buck, even at Bond’s elevated price range.

The rose and other floral notes, aren’t going to play a huge role in the scent. I wouldn’t get too excited about them, if that’s something you’d be looking for. Sweet, sharp, warm gourmand. I like it.

Jazz by YSL

by

I was very pleased to be able to get a hold of a travel sprayer full of Jazz EDT by Yves Saint Laurent. This 1980s classic has gone off the market and back on, even being offered in a slightly different version, under a slightly different name.

Nonetheless, I was excited to be able to get the original, and experience it once again. In this post, I will share my experiences with how it smells and performs, and whether I think it is still worth a try.

What does YSL Jazz Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, coriander, nutmeg, artemisia, tobacco, geranium, jasmine, carnation, cardamom, basil, and more

Click here to try: Jazz by Yves Saint Laurent

My Full Review

Jazz is a fragrance which dates back to the late 1980s and you definitely can tell from the very first spray. That’s not to say that it’s dated, but it just has a smell and style that newer releases simply do not. That can be good or bad, based on your tastes.

It opens up with a spicy freshness. The main spices here are the coriander and nutmeg. Anise also comes through. Initially, you can pick up on notes like basil and a slight cinnamon, but that is short-lived.

Underneath the spice, is the ever-present and strengthening lavender note, with other dry notes such as: oakmoss, tobacco, and a bit of leather. It’s a classic clean spice with dry woodsy undertones.

The floral notes other than lavender, do come in to support the main attraction. It’s really blended well and none of the notes stick out too much to me.

As it moves along, Jazz EDT, moves more into a floral clean and somewhat sweet arena. Artemisia, geranium, with some very light amber and tonka bean give it a smoother appeal.

This combined with the lavender, creates a very nice mix, with its more masculine features occupying the base.

The final result is a dry, fresh, green floral/spice blend, that is fairly barbershop in its essence. Jazz is a great fougere example, that is balanced, and still retains a mass appeal. There’s a nice mossy finish towards the end or at least the impression of moss, anyway.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is pretty strong at first, but it does become more moderate for the rest of the wear. It is noticeable, but not completely in your face, with its power.

Though not a powerhouse, the longevity, is actually very good on my skin. During testing, I was able to get 9-10 hours of wear from this YSL cologne, without any issue. I was actually surprised that a newer batch, could still bring it with the performance.

Seasonally, it works in any season but the height of summer. I would go with either autumn or spring, as it fits in well with the more moderate temperatures, versus either extreme.

This is best suited for men in their mid-20s and up. If you’re a younger guy and want something different, you could still pull it off. It can be worn casually, at the office, or for an evening out. It has a certain level of sexiness, but isn’t a club banger, by any means.

It’s versatile for many other situations, as it isn’t likely to offend or be obtrusive when wearing it. Very solid all around.

Overall Impression of Jazz by YSL

Do I like this fragrance? I do. That’s saying something, because this isn’t usually my style, but I can wear Jazz and like doing so. It’s not my favorite ever, or even favorite Yves Saint Laurent, but I do appreciate the scent.

It’s a great throwback to another era of colognes. There are others which smell, quite a bit like this one, but this is still a wonderful scent. I wish I could get a hold of Live Jazz, as I remember really liking that fragrance, possibly more so than the original.

This one has been reformulated over the years, so, it probably won’t exactly smell how it used to be. Not too much of a problem, if you’re new to it. Honestly, it still has plenty of life and I have to say that I find it pretty enjoyable.

If you want a lavender blend or something with that classic dry spiciness, Jazz is one to try out. Not going to be one if you’re looking for a super sweet or boozy kind of scent. The fragrance hits the spiciness, floral accords, and gives you a clean masculine finish.

Bvgari Aqua Pour Homme Marine

by

Yes, we’re heading into the winter months, in the Northern hemisphere. However, I wanted to get some reviews done this week, and the first up is a decidedly summer scent. Bvlgari Aqva Marine is one of the offerings from the Aqva line, by Bvlgari. How does this one stack up? What does it smell like? Is the performance good? Is it worth a try?

What does Bvlgari Aqva Marine Smell Like?

Notes include: neroli, seaweed, orange, grapefruit, cedar, rosemary, aquatic notes

Click here to try: Bvlgari Aqva Marine Pour Homme by Bvlgari 3.4oz 100ml EDT Spray

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Aqva Marine immediately hits with a familiar citrus aroma, much like in the original from this series. Yes, the orange note is the same, but this Marine has more grapefruit and balance between the two fruit notes.

The original Aqva, had a pretty short-lived orange note. After that, it became much more of what you’d associate with a marine sort of fragrance. Aqva Marine, has more depth.

Add to that, the neroli note, softens and adds a different cleaner component to this version of Aqva. To my nose, the seaweed’s influence is lightened up, and I get more of the oceanic watery fragrance.

This cologne becomes very fresh, crisp, and a bit salty sitting underneath the citrus notes up top. The coldness of this scent, seems to come and go on my skin, but it’s one aspect that I rather enjoyed.

As it moves forward, Aqva Marine becomes less of a citrus based scent, and the oceanic ingredients really take control. Again, the seaweed is way less intense than in the original, which I take as a good thing. The seaweed, could become a bit overwhelming at times.

From here, this is a fairly linear fragrance. Sea water, seaweed, light citrus, neroli, with a touch of herbal notes from rosemary and petitgrain.

Similar to the original Aqva, but with enough difference to let it stand on its own accord.  Clean, but something that is going to appeal to a certain segment of the population.

Longevity, Sillage, and Versatility

The sillage of this one is light to moderate. Definitely not a complete monster, but then again, this isn’t the sort of scent you’d want to be one. It’s going to hang close to the skin, as a fresh aquatic. It’s got enough power to be noticeable, particularly during the opening act.

The longevity is pretty good, for this category of fragrance. Usually you cannot expect all that much from a citrus/oceanic cologne, but this one can hit 6 hours of wear, depending on the climate conditions. Again, not spectacular, but very solid.

It falls right in line with the other Aqva fragrances in this series. Not too bad, especially since this isn’t really going to be a stand alone daily wear for most men.

Climate wise, warm weather, all the way. This is a spring/summer fragrance or a year round, if you live in a tropical region. I wouldn’t call this a romantic wear or a nightlife go to, by any means.

This is more casual and potentially some office wear, on the right day. Also, something you could put on for a trip to the coast or a beach day. A very relaxed and chilled out fragrance.

Don’t expect very much beyond being a nice an refreshing grab, during the daytime in the summer. There’s no real age range on this, it could work for young men to older guys, as well. Quite balanced and non-offensive, at least for a summertime wear.

It actually seems like it might be a good candidate for layering with another cologne. It has depth on its own, but it could be interesting in a blend.

Overall Thoughts on Aqva Marine

Do I like Aqva Marine? Yes, I think that it’s a nice wear, in the aquatic space. I’m not blown away by it or anything, but it has its strengths.

Mainly, it can serve as a more balanced and easier to wear option, versus the other Aqva colognes. Those other ones, are probably more unique, but also more polarizing. This is a good middle ground.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the oceanic type of aquatics. Some of them are pretty good, but smelling like seaweed and salt water, isn’t really my thing. That being said, Aqva Marine is one of the better examples of this type done right, on the market.

The performance is solid, the smell is pleasing but not amazing. I’d rate this as being above average, and definitely worth a try, for guys who enjoy a good oceanic aquatic.

Is it anything amazing? No, but it doesn’t do anything poorly either, and can usually be found for a decent price.

5 Best Tommy Hilfiger Colognes for Men

by

Tommy Hilfiger was a major force in popular fashion back in the 1990s and while its popularity has faded since then, it still has its place in that world. It’s fragrance line while not as spectacular as many other design houses, does have some highlights that both smell great and can be gotten at a good price.

For this list, I have selected what I feel are the five best Tommy Hilfiger colognes for men and as always have linked each to an online store for purchase.

What are the Best Smelling Tommy Hilfiger Fragrances for Men?

Most Popular

Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger for Men Eau de Cologne Spray, 3.4 Oz– The original namesake of the company. Tommy Hilfiger for men is a crisp and clean presentation loaded with citrus and other fruity notes. Good starter cologne or something to wear casually, as it can be gotten for cheap.

This fragrance is seemingly going to be around forever, as it’s still the highlight of the Hilfiger line up. Tommy starts with a very sharp and tart blend of apple, grapefruit, and cranberry. The cranberry note isn’t used very much in colognes, outside of Polo Red, but it is really nice here.

It opens fresh and crisp, then gets warm and sweet, with its apple pie accord. You can expect a good deal of amber and cinnamon, with later green and floral touches. Tommy was a ubiquitous fragrance back in the 1990s and it’s honestly, still a very attractive cologne. Read my full review here.

rp_tommy-300x300.jpg

Forgotten and Unique

Athletics By Tommy Hilfiger For Men. Cologne Spray 1.7 Ounces–This scent was discontinued a long time ago (but you can find it on Amazon, at times, which I’ve linked). However, I happened to have it back when it was released in 1998, and I was in 5th grade. I lived in a very hot and humid climate and Hilfiger Athletics, was up to the task.

It was sneaky great, as I recall, and very fresh. As a sport scent, it was light with citrus notes including bergamot and grapefruit which was paired with grass and star anise. Simple…wish I still had some, but these are my memories of it.

Smooth Star

True Star by Tommy Hilfiger Eau De Toilette Spray (unboxed) 1.7 oz (Men)– This is another one with that licorice note, that I’m not too crazy about. However, I do like the rest of the presentation of True Star and I think that the other notes like vanilla, sandalwood, and grapefruit work well together.

I don’t think they produce this scent anymore but bottles can still be had online as of now.

True Star has a lemon and grapefruit top filled with light spice, from one of my favorite notes, anise. It actually doesn’t get all that complicated, but you do get a nice leather note, paired with the citrus and vanilla. Oh, and of course, sandalwood. If you want a bottle, you’re going to have to act, while they’re still floating around.

truestar

Youthful Option

Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Eau De Prep Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Eau de Prep’s name alone should indicate that it’s going to be a clean and well put together fragrance. Yes, indeed, that’s what you’re going to get.

Prep opens with a spicy citrus aroma, with notes of pepper and sage. A bit further along in the wear, it becomes a fresher, and noticeably cleaner cologne. Lavender, juniper, and a bit of suede. All of this sits on top of a woody base.

Eau de Prep isn’t terribly complicated. It is, however, a very light scent. So, don’t worry about going to town with the sprays, and for the current price…there’s really no need to.

Best Newer Fragrance

Impact Intense– This is a flanker fragrance to the original Impact, that has enjoyed some moderate success since its release. Chestnut and a red apple note up top, give this one a nice start with a woody dry down.

Akigalawood, cedar, and sandalwood make up the base with a resinous amber note in the mid. This is a great cheaper option for the autumn and winter months. The apple accord up top, gives it a nice sweetness that blended with the amber and chestnut, is sort of candy-like.

But, that sweetness with dampen with time and you get a warm spice with woods and a fresher finish. The cedar note really comes on, as this one moves forward. Pretty decent performance from Impact Intense, as well.