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!

Ralph’s Club EDP by Ralph Lauren

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Ralph’s Club is a fragrance that I hadn’t really paid all that much attention to after its release. But, I eventually got a hold of it, as part of a sampler pack a few months ago. So, it was only a matter of time before I got to test it out and put this cologne through its paces. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does Ralph’s Club Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, clary sage, cedar, vetiver

ralph's club review

My Full Review

Ralph’s Club opens up with a mix of the lavender and clary sage notes. While it is more herbal and greenish than this example, it actually reminds me somewhat of the start of Luna Rossa Ocean, just paired down.

If that Prada is a ‘blue’ cologne, this is a blue-green. There’s also elements of Y Le Parfum here. Just not a clone of either of those scents.

The lavender and sage are both very present there, along with some vetiver. The same sort of aromatic aroma, just without the oceanic and iris. Yet, there is a light powdery quality to Ralph’s Club early on.

It is very fresh, clean, and has a definite sweetness to keep it interesting.

The lavender is the head honcho, at the start. The clary sage is just a notch underneath. However, that will begin to flip as this Ralph Lauren cologne dries down. The sage never dominates, it just seems to switch roles with the lavender.

Beyond that, you’re going to get the woody freshness of cedar, which doesn’t come across as all that sharp here.

The rest of the wear is a fresh soapiness, with dry woodsy highlights. The powdery part and the sweetness have quieted down a whole lot and are seemingly background noise.

Clean and fresh like a soap or out of the drier laundry. Not too complicated, but still has its charms.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Ralph’s Club isn’t a monster, but it is above average. For the first few hours, I’d say it’s on the upper edge of what could be considered moderate. Then, it’ll pretty middle of the road thereafter.

Thankfully, it isn’t weak and can project itself nicely off of the skin.

Longevity seems to be in the 7.5 hour range, on me. Again, not a totally great performer, but very useful and not a waste of money.

Seasonally, this can work pretty much year round. I’d avoid the extreme heat. However, cold to moderate temperatures and this thing is a go.

It’s a very attractive and easy to like cologne. The versatility is probably the greatest strength of Ralph’s Club. Casual, office, dressed up, a night out. It’s got you covered for most any occasion and can be worn by all age groups.

They did a really great job at making this one a jack of all trades.

Overall Impressions of Ralph’s Club

Overall, do I like Ralph’s Club? I do. It’s an appealing fragrance with solid performance and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

It’s a pretty basic formula and there isn’t a ton of development. But, the sage and lavender are good enough to carry it.

Yes, it is will remind you of various elements from other popular colognes, but it doesn’t smell exactly like any of them. Just hints of them, while doing its own thing.

The good news, is that if you really enjoy the smell of Ralph’s Club, it will reward you with its versatility. This could very well be a daily wear type of scent for some guys. Is it amazing? No, but it also doesn’t have any really noticeable deficiencies as a fragrance.

Love, don’t be shy by Kilian

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Love, don’t be shy is one of the most popular perfumes from Kilian. That probably has to do with all of the press, when it was revealed to be the perfume that Rihanna wears. Aside from its celebrity bonafides, Love EDP has always been a fragrance that I enjoyed. I got a sample vial of it, when I ordered Angels’ Share months ago. Now, I figured it was time to finally give it a review.

What does Love, Don’t be Shy Smell Like?

Notes include: caramel, marshmallow, jasmine, rose, honeysuckle, orange blossom, sugar, vanilla, musk, and more

love don't be shy review

My Full Review

Tried this fragrance? Leave your own rating and review in the comments!

The opening of Love EDP really comes with the orange blossom, honeysuckle, and neroli, as the floral notes. Those are joined by the sweetness of marshmallow, caramel, and some vanilla.

The main two are going to be orange blossom and marshmallow here, early on. It’s sweet, sugary, and a warm floral scent that is quite captivating. What I notice about Love, don’t be shy, as I’ve worn it is how the floral notes change…but the sweet notes stay much the same.

So, early on it’s the orange blossom. Then, you get some slight powderiness from iris and rose (both are pretty light), and finally jasmine starts to show up more on my skin.

The neroli here is there at the very start, but to me it gets overshadowed by the orange blossom and eventually I cannot even pick it up at all.

As it moves on in the wear, the marshmallow will take more of a lead and the caramel will fall out of favor for the vanilla. The sweetness here is indeed sugary and pretty candy-like with how it comes across.

That can be a good or bad thing, depending on your own personal tastes. I happen to enjoy this kind of scent.

The final stages are the vanilla and musk notes’ time to shine. The marshmallow is still there, but faded. It’s a general sweetness overall with a vague sense of floral notes. Though, I cannot personally pick any out as individual ingredients.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty strong for a time. It is a fresher and lighter sort of sweet perfume, rather than a massive thick cloud. But, the projection is good well into the wear on me.

I’ve seen people say that this has been reformulated and the performance of Love EDP is bad now. I have a sample vial from 2021 and the longevity is fine for me. It doesn’t disappear in a few hours.

In fact, I can still pick it up about 8 hours after applying it. It’s not a complete marathon or a monstrous scent bomb, but I think reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Seasonally, stick to autumn through early spring. This Kilian can handle some moderate temperatures, but I wouldn’t venture into the heat of the summertime with it.

It is suitable for all ages. It is a sweet and sugary fragrance, but feels a tad more grown up than the usual fare in this category.

It’s an attractive and edible sort of gourmand scent. Not necessarily sexy, but I do enjoy being around it. Love, don’t be shy isn’t a formal wear and isn’t really a perfume that would be appropriate for all work environments.

Overall Impressions of Love, Don’t be Shy

Overall, do I like this scent? I do. It’s not my favorite, but I do still think that it is one of the best from Kilian.

The orange blossom, caramel, and marshmallow start is great. I like the touches of citrus early on, that give it more of a dynamic feeling.

The floral notes are interesting and give Love, don’t be shy most of its change during the wear. Also, the performance is still fine for me, even with the small sprayer of the sample size.

Now, this may not be one for everyone. I do think most folks will enjoy the way that this smells. However, if you’re not into soft, sugary sweet sort of fragrances, or have problems with orange blossom or marshmallow…you should probably look elsewhere.

L’Heure Verte by Kilian

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I’ve had a sample of L’Heure Verte for over six months now, that I purchased along with the other Liquors from the Kilian collection. Angels’ Share became an immediate love for me, the others less so. But, I did like Verte when I tried it. So, revisiting for my full review, I wanted to see if this still held the number two spot in the series.

What does L’Heure Verte Smell Like?

Notes include: absinthe, violet leaf, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: At Sephora

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Kilian describes it: Absinthe essence opens L’Heure Verte by KILIAN with an instant head twist into a nostalgic heart of violet leaf and licorice root absolute. Its dry-down articulates a unique and precisely chosen facet of patchouli that resonates throughout, and blends into a trio of earthy woods along with vetiver and sandalwood. 

The first time that I smelled Verte, I thought, “Oh, Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin“. The resemblance between the two fragrances is obvious to me, as that unique scent was one of the earlier reviews that I did on this site. 

The licorice in that fragrance, will give you much of the same scent as the absinthe accord within this Kilian. Actually, I think the Lempicka also has the wormwood note as well, so it’s basically absinthe.

However, this one is way smoother, less sweet, and the licorice doesn’t hit you as hard up top. 

Up top, it’s got a nice sweet and almost powdery aroma to it. Verte’s licorice is nice, although, I personally start to have enough of it after a while.

Underneath that absinthe is a violet leaf, that hangs around for a while. It does add to the greenish, sort of herbal quality that the booze packs in. 

I do like that this one adds the vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood to a greater degree and makes it more tolerable than the Lempicka scent. It’s dry, warm, and gives Verte a bit more depth than it otherwise would.  

To me, this fragrance is about the absinthe accord early on. Then, the patchouli will become the second strongest, as we dry down. The sweetness will turn more into a woody booziness that is pretty pleasant. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Verte starts out fairly moderate, very noticeable, but will ultimately sit pretty close to the skin. Not a completely weak perfume, by any means, but not a massive beast that is going to leave a huge trail.

Decent, though.

On my skin, it’ll stick around for 6-7 hours. Not too terrible. Again, the performance isn’t all that great, respectable. Though, I’d personally want more for the Kilian price tag. 

Seasonally, this could work anytime outside of summer. Autumn through early springtime. In the more moderate temperatures, L’Heure Verte is still good to go. However, I wore it on a warmer day and it wasn’t at all near its peak.

This is going to be more of a casual or nighttime wear. I think depending on where you live, it might not get associated with alcohol and could be safe for work. Here in the US, people would associate the licorice note, but probably not catch on to the absinthe.

It’s a boozy gourmand. Not really sexy, but does have an attractiveness to it. It does swing more in the masculine direction, but it is still pretty safely unisex. 

Overall Impressions of L’Heure Verte

Overall, do I like L’Heure Verte? I like the scent, but it’s not a love for me. You’re going to have to really enjoy the aroma of absinthe, because that’s the star here. I do like it for a short period of time, but the smell of licorice wears on me.

Still, this is my second favorite from the Liquors line by Kilian (thus far). The dry down with sandalwood, patchouli, and vetiver is nice. Albeit, not very strong. Once the grip of the licorice gets loosened, I tend to like the back end of this fragrance more.

The performance is just okay. Really, nothing to write home about. It could indeed be better.

This is sort of a safe niche. It’s probably not going to offend anyone, but it’ll stand out as being pretty unique. Most people have never smelled the Lempicka cologne. But, it might not be one that you’d want to take a chance on buying blind. 

The licorice absinthe aroma, is one that isn’t universally appreciated. As such, it’s probably best you try it our before committing to a full bottle.

Polo (Green) vs Polo Blue Cologne Comparison

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In this post, I want to do another cologne comparison between two fragrances from the Ralph Lauren line, Polo and Polo Blue. Now, Polo is a classic fragrance from the 1970s, comes in that familiar green bottle, and has been a best seller for decades.

Blue EDT is a more recent addition to the lineup but has been well received thus far. Which of these colognes smells better? Which performs better? Who should consider wearing each? Read below for the complete breakdown.

Which is Better? Polo vs. Polo Blue

Polo Blue Tale of the Tape

Notes include: amber, melon, patchouli, geranium, cucumber, tangerine, moss, musk

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Polo (Green) Tale of the Tape

polo

Notes include: basil, leather, tobacco, oakmoss, pine, cedar, and more.

Click here to try: Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce

Read my original Review

Opening

This is a battle between an aquatic opening in Polo Blue versus the dry woodsy/leathery opening of the original Polo. Polo Green is stronger and more complex then Blue is. I find it to be a much more interesting fragrance.

Blue opens with a cool and crisp blend of cucumber, melon, and some citrus (mainly tangerine). This combination, gives it that sort of aquatic and familiar appeal. Behind that watery trio is a herbal basil note.

Green is a classic sort of scent. It mainly kicks off with pine and leather, but you will also pick up hints of tobacco and the basil, that’s also in Blue.

Between these two, I tend to favor the opening of Green.  Yes, the original Polo has more of an old school aroma, but I like it better.

Blue smells nice, but it’s pretty commonplace, and feels like so many other scents, of that fragrance type.

Edge: Green

Projection

Polo Blue is rather moderate in its projection, it isn’t super strong but it gets the job done. Polo Green is a strong fragrance and can dominate a room if overused…it’s much more of a beast.

The original Polo doesn’t have the same power it once had, but it still brings the power more than Blue EDT.

They’re both decent for what they bring to the table, but neither hits beast mode. That being said, the original Green bottle is the more powerful between them.

Edge: Green

Longevity

The difference between these two is that Blue will usually be good for 6-9 hours while Green is a 8+ hour scent. Blue EDT has a wide range and much less consistency in what I get from it. It’s not bad, but it can sometimes quit earlier than expected.

Unless either of them has been reformulated in the past couple of years, Green still takes this category over Blue.

Edge: Green

Versatility

The original Polo is a more mature fragrance and thus eliminates some potential younger users. It can also be too heavy at times for use in close quarters.

I think overall it holds up well, however. Seasonally, it’ll be best autumn through early spring. While Blue can for sure be of use for most of the calendar year as well.

Blue is a much more versatile and manageable scent that can appeal to multiple types of men. I think that it performs better in the warmer months too, without feeling completely out of place in the more mild parts of the year.

Edge: Blue

Overall Scent

It’s tough to compare these two, since they are really quite different scents. Polo Green is has a dry/smoky/woodsy/green type of aroma and Blue is more aquatic/woodsy.

I think that Green is probably the better scent overall but Blue is a really good choice for everyday wear, that probably has a wider appeal.

It really depends on what you’re looking for in a cologne. If you want a more modern scent, go with Blue. If you want a classic blend of woody notes, smoothness, and some additional spice Polo Green is great.

Actually, you might want to give Polo Intense a try, as it’s a modern update to the classic Green.

Honestly, for most guys, Blue EDT will be a better bet. If you favor Blue, I’d actually pick up Blue EDP or Deep Blue before Blue EDT.

Winner: Polo Green

Bright Crystal vs Absolu Perfume Comparison

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Versace Bright Crystal has been very popular for many years now. It has since been joined by Absolu, a more concentrated version of this fragrance. Of course, this causes the dilemma, of which perfume do you buy? Which scent is better Bright Crystal vs Absolu? In this post, I will break it down by category, before declaring a winner.

Tale of the Tape: Bright Crystal vs. Absolu

Bright Crystal

Notes include: yuzo, peony, pomegranate, musk, magnolia, iced accord, lotus, amber

Click Here to try Bright Crystal: Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 3 Ounce

Read my review: Versace Bright Crystal

Bright Crystal Absolu

Notes include: peony, pomegranate, raspberry, lotus, yuzu, magnolia, musk

Click here to try: Bright Crystal Absolu, 3 Ounce

Opening

Bright Crystal opens up with its fruity notes out in full force. It’s pomegranate and yuzu, dominating the top. Underneath that, are the floral notes, of peony and lotus. It is indeed ‘bright’ and juicy.

The fruity notes, will eventually give way to more of a floral aroma, led by the peony. It’s peony with some musk, watery lotus, and yuzu really coming through.

Absolu is sweeter and fruitier in its opening. You get much of the same thing, but this time with a raspberry note, and some more lotus in the early stages.

Absolu will also stay fruitier throughout, than its predecessor. Which is better in the opening act? Well, it’s extremely close, but I do like the raspberry touch in Absolu. So, it gets a slight edge.

Edge: Absolu

Projection

Bright Crystal is pretty moderate with its sillage at the start. For me, it will project 4-6 feet at first, then move in closer. It’s ultimately a light to moderate wear.

Is Absolu stronger? Yes, somewhat. Again, it isn’t a powerhouse, but it does seem to have a bit more presence.

Neither is super consistent for the duration of the wear. But, you will get a solid sillage for the first hours with each. Absolu just does it better for longer.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

With Bright Crystal, it will hang around on my skin, for an 8-10 hour period. Very good longevity.

Absolu and Bright Crystal are sometimes even in longevity. However, I can get a few extra hours, from Absolu. I’d say up to 12. 9-12 hours, depending on the climate.

These two have been pretty impressive for these sorts of popular mainstream fragrances. Unless they have undergone reformulations recently, how long each lasts shouldn’t be a problem at all.

But again, the edge goes to Absolu.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

I don’t see any real difference between these two fragrances, in terms of when they can be worn. Daily wear, warm weather, and highly versatile with places you could wear it.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

These two scents are very close, by there very nature. Honestly, I really enjoy how both of them smell. I like the yuzu and pomegranate. I like the peony drydown with the original.

Which is the better buy? Well, if you’re talking pure performance that’ll go to Bright Crystal Absolu. It’s a stronger dose.

With the smell, that depends on what you’d rather have. Bright Crystal is more floral, with stronger citrus, and muskiness.

Absolu is sweeter, fruitier, and while it brings the peony…it lacks the same yuzu strength.

For me, I’d probably lean Absolu. That’s my choice, as of now. Though, you should consider your own personal taste. The pomegranate and raspberry notes are very nice.

The initial lotus is a bit better than the blend in the original. But, the floral notes do change up and favor that one. Obviously, there is a whole lot of overlap with these two, but Absolu got my attention more.

Winner: Absolu