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!

11 Best Smelling Peony Scented Perfumes

by

Peony is a fairly popular note in many fragrances. It doesn’t always get the same attention or use as something like, rose or some of the others. However, it has a great aroma that is fresh, and just plain pretty to smell. In this post, I want to put forth eleven options for women’s fragrances, which utilize this floral note.

Eleven selections which I feel are the best smelling perfumes to make peony the main note of their composition. By no means, is this exhaustive, but there is plenty to try out for all sorts of tastes.

What are the Best Peony Fragrances?

Top Miss Dior Peony

Christian Dior Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– To me, this is best smelling fragrance of the Miss Dior line. Absolutely Blooming adds juicy red berry notes to the mix, along with the familiar rose and peony.

It is sunny, fun, delicious, and with a great mix of fruit and floral notes.

This is probably the strongest of them and one that lasted a few hours longer than the other perfumes from Dior. Obviously, it isn’t just a pure peony fragrance, and some may not want the fruit notes.

However, it is one that is immensely popular for good reason, and those berries really do add something special. Absolutely Blooming Review

Vuitton Peony Perfume with Cocoa

Attrape-Rêves– This Louis Vuitton fragrance is more of a blend, with a prominent peony note, but it is one of the top fragrances from LV.

It opens up with its litchi and bergamot fruit notes, along with some fresh ginger. I do really enjoy that extra bit of ginger kick that you get early on with Attrape-Reves. Doesn’t stay around for ever, but it is a nice touch.

Rose and peony will make their appearance, and our notes is the strongest of the two.

Attrape-Reves separates itself, with its cocoa note, that gives it a gourmand touch along with the patchouli. But, the peony will be the dominant ingredient, after sharing the spotlight with that rose.

Sweet floral fruit-chouli perfume, with an overall fresh aroma. Soft, balanced, and versatile wear with a great peony. Attrape-Reves Review

Simple, Fresh, Inexpensive

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Nirvana White is one of the best fragrances from the Elizabeth & James collection. Pretty simple fragrance, overall. Though, a great option for peony scents.

Peony is the leader from the get go, but early on the muguet (lily of the valley), comes around to the secondary spot. The opening is a mix between white and greenish aromas, smooth, a bit water, and a hint of sweetness.

That’s what you get at the beginning. Once it develops further, the lily of the valley fades away and this is a peony and musk scent. Very fresh and our target note is lovely here.  I got about 7 hours of wear from it and the price is usually absolutely affordable. Nirvana White Review

High-End Peony Perfume

Lust in Paradise by Ex Nihilo– Pink pepper and a nice lychee note surround the peony here. Lust in Paradise is fresh, with a warm kind of spicy kick, but not at all thick and overwhelming.

The lychee is actually stronger than the pink pepper here, so, you get more of a sweetness. The peony takes over and this one is a cleaner floral perfume with musk and woody undertones.

The name is pretty deceiving. It’s not a super ‘sexy’ sort of fragrance. Rather, it is a perfume that is somewhat sweet and powdery up top. Then, becomes a muskier/soapy floral clean in the drydown.

Nonetheless, the peony is beautiful in this composition. Price tag is high, however.

Old-School Soapy/Powdery Peony

Holy Peony by Dior– This one has similarities with the Miss Dior line, but is a more concentrated peony. Rose and lily of the valley, round things out here. Worth a try, but I’d probably still go with the cheaper, Miss Dior listed above.

This one is fresh and a bit juicy, with notes of strawberry and raspberry. It’s got a nice amount of fruitiness, to help further sweeten the perfume, but the floral notes are going to be the main focus with this Dior.

It actually starts out pretty tart/sour, in the early stages. Then it will settles sweeter and a muskier/powdery/soapy perfume full of rose and the peony. One you’ll probably want to try out, before committing to a full bottle, however.

best dior peony fragrance

Pure Peony Love

Peony Couture by Vilhelm– This one has a nice big dose of peony, that is simply great for those who love the flower. It is another one that is a bit more niche and expensive.

Peony Couture gives you a mix of anise and black pepper, with a Turkish Rose note surrounding the peony. For part of the wear, there are hints of spice and a touch of smokiness provided by an incense note.

The pepper note is probably the strongest non-floral aspect, but only hangs around for a short time. The peony will dominate the first half and share duties with the rose note later on. Really gorgeous example of what we’re looking for.

Rose and Peony

Chloe Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 4.2 Ounce– A nice, moderate scent by Chloe. New is a complex and feminine scent that isn’t too bold but will add a bit of warmth and class to any woman. Notes include: Magnolia, rose, lily of the valley cedar wood base, amber.

The rose is the most prominent of the floral notes, with a somewhat powdery aroma, and the addition of a very solid peony. This is sort of a reverse of others on the list, which use both of these notes.

But, I do like that it has plenty of peony, and is super versatile as a daily wear. As such, I think that it deserves a spot.

Chloe EDP has a nice woodiness in the dry down, that helps to give it a more solid base, and the performance on this one is pretty outstanding. Its sillage can be powerful and will go the full day.

Powdery Floral & Suede

Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne Spray for Women, 1 Ounce–There is a great opening with the apple note which then takes the back seat for the flowery aroma to take center stage. Very soft and feminine with a nice touch of suede.

The dry down becomes quite a powdery floral affair, especially once the apple fades, and the peony takes over. The suede is a really interesting pairing with the floral notes. Super smooth, keeps the whole aroma, pretty mellow.

Like the cocoa, in Attrape-Reves, the suede is something that distinguishes the Jo Malone from just being another run of the mill floral.

Another simple one, that is pretty unique in its presentation. Performance is solid, for what it is, and Peony & Blush is still one of the best Jo Malone scents.

Citrus Floral Star

L’Occitane Flora pivoine edt 2.5 Oz– This is an excellent rose and peony pairing, with a clean citrus opening act. Pivoine Flora is light and a solid choice for the warmer months of the year.

The peony really starts to take over within a half hour of the first wear.

The rose, while there, is relegated to a role player. The dry down does reveal a bit of musk, but just a hint, to support the star peony.

This is really good, with a bit of a similar smell to Bright Crystal Absolu (found below). Though, the Versace is a juicier perfume with its fruit notes. The berry and pomegranate create a substantial enough distinction with Flora.

Estee Lauder Classic Blend

Pleasures Estee Lauder Women Perfume 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray In Box Sealed– A classic floral perfume that is soft, pleasant, and never overpowering. Pleasures features dewy outdoorsy notes which provide a green aroma, combined with, floral notes led by lily of the valley and lilac.

Then, as it dries down this Estee Lauder perfume, begins to have more influence from the peony and rose notes within.

This is an outstanding performer, which will last all day, and is safe enough to wear at the office or casually. Quite fresh with enough floral sweetness to be very attractive, but not obnoxious.

The peony becomes, more pronounced in the latter stages of the wear, but you do get some other nice floral notes beforehand.

Juicy Fruit and Peony

Versace Bright Crystal Absolu Eau de Perfume Spray, 3.0 Ounce– You could go with the original Bright Crystal as well, but the peony note, is better in this one.

It sits alongside a wonderful, pomegranate note, and raspberry which becomes the main fruity attraction. The pomegranate is what made Bright Crystal on of my favorite women’s Versace perfumes.

This is quite similar to the original, but with some slight differences, it’s a bit fresher and cleaner smelling.

This is a really great choice for those, who want a peony note as the highlight, mixed with some gorgeous fruit ingredients.

7 Best Smelling Cacharel Perfumes for Women

by

Cacharel is a French ready to wear clothing, fashion, and fragrance brand. It’s fragrance line was launched in the late 1970s and has been going strong ever since. The faces of the advertisements of this design house have been as famous as the perfumes themselves and include models, Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen. For this list, I have selected seven fragrances from their line which I consider to be the cream of the crop.

What are the Best Smelling Cacharel Perfumes?

Fabulous Selection

Yes I Am Fabulous– Updating this page with a few newer perfumes, I had to add at least one from the fairly popular Yes I Am line.

Fabulous is my first pick out of this collection. It utilizes blackberry as the main note, but only adds to the unique vibe with other notes like hazelnut and milk. Add to that, one of my favorite underrated floral notes in heliotrope.

This one opens up with the blackberry which comes off juicy enough, yet the milk adds a creaminess which really sets the tone. Not too sweet nor too tart, Fabulous comes across as delicious and the hazelnut here just works in the mix.

A nicer heliotrope powdery aroma in the dry down. It isn’t super powerful, just a nice and fun perfume.

Easy to Wear Cacharel

Noa– A light blend of fruity notes with an underlying bouquet of floral notes. Noa is a soft and womanly fragrance good for most occasions. This one is a clean and soapy sort of perfume, but it feels like it has its own unique take on it.

Yes, you have the layer of musk and floral notes. However, the secondary wave of coffee bean and vanilla give Noa a slighter sweeter aroma in its undertones. This isn’t some scent that overwhelms and demands attention, it just simply gets it with its soft and quite beautiful aroma.

noa

Most Popular Cacharel

Amor Amor– Probably the most popular of the bunch. A great everyday wear, Amor Amor blends fruits, floral, and woodsy notes to create something seductive yet playful.

The floral notes are lighter and different. But, you do get a very close citrus vibe to Happy. The main difference here, is the inclusion of vanilla.

Amor Amor is a very good take on a sweet fruity perfume, that is a solid choice for daily wear. It actually has way more depth, than one might expect. It is warmer, creamier, with nice amber notes and tonka bean in the dry down. A fairly similar fragrance to Clinique’s Happy.

amoramor

Chocolate Gourmand

Yes I Am Delicious– Another option from this line for those who want an indeed delicious blend of chocolate and the hazelnut note.

This one really goes heavy with the chocolate, more so the hazelnut. You get both a refined sort of dark chocolate, raw cacao, vanilla, and the nuttiness. Super rich and delectable.

Up top you will get mandarin orange with a spicy cardamom before the sweets-fest begins. The floral notes are more present in the back end. Jasmine and orange blossom. Warm and cozy for the colder months. This won’t be for everyone, still a nice smelling scent.

Most Unique

Eden– Eden changes it up a bit from the other perfumes on this list. This fragrance is for those who like a spicy and somewhat exotic scent. Eden does feature some lighter fruit notes, but it is mostly a very floral undertaking.

So, obviously avoid, if you don’t want a bouquet effect. That’s mostly at the start, though. As it moves forward, Eden, takes on more of its patchouli note and it feels less floral and more greenish plant-like.

Finally, there are the spicier layers of this perfume. Not super peppery, but coriander is the main attraction. This is more of a niche fragrance, but one with a bold profile and performance.

eden

Classic Cacharel

Anais Anais– A wonderful floral perfume with added notes of leather and cedar. It’s a classic scent that is clean, fresh, and wholly feminine. Being an older fragrance, it has obviously undergone some changes over the years, but Anais Anais still retains a lot of its magic.

This is more or an old school fragrance, because it does date back to the 1970s. Floral and highlighted by notes of lily of the valley, hyacinth, and jasmine. At times, it feels more like a green garden, before setting itself up as a powdery scent.

To me, it’s unique versus what you get from perfumes nowadays. Though, this doesn’t feel stale or boring. Yes, different, while still being modern and dynamic.

anais

Older Sweet Pick

Amor Amor Forbidden Kiss– A warm and energetic take on the Amor Amor name. Grapefruit, coffee, pink pepper, and peony make this one a unique and exciting perfume from Cacharel.

We get away from the floral scents and break into something fruitier and much sweeter. Yes, the fruity notes are enveloped in a warmer cloud than usual, but this is still an attractive option for the colder months. The coffee and pink pepper notes, really make Forbidden Kiss what it is, and it doesn’t have that winter fragrance heaviness.

amoramorfor

Luna Rossa Carbon vs Ocean Comparison

by

Luna Rossa has been a massively successful fragrance line for Italian brand, Prada. In 2021, it released its latest edition, Luna Rossa Ocean. The question then becomes, how does this latest cologne compare to some of the more popular ones before it? In this post, I am comparing Ocean to the popular, Carbon. Which smells best? Lasts longer?

Tale of the Tape: Ocean vs. Carbon

Luna Rossa Ocean

Notes include: bergamot, iris, pink pepper, artemisia, lavender, sage, suede, saffron, musk, vetiver, caramel, patchouli

Click here to try:  Luna Rossa Ocean at Macy’s

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

My Original Review: Luna Rossa Carbon

Opening

Luna Rossa Carbon opens up with a strong use of its citrus note, bergamot. Lavender, a light ambroxan, and the metallic aroma finish which gives it the name Carbon. It’s clean, citrus, then gives off a soapier vibe.

With Ocean, you get what I would call a ‘light blue’ impression. You get the same bergamot note. But, this time the lavender is toned down. It has a sweetness provided by a mix of tonka bean and caramel.

Smooth suede, powdery iris, really help to give off a fresh and aromatic aroma.  The iris is stronger than the lavender, in this one.

Smooth, sweet, spicy, but don’t expect an aquatic based on its name. Less of the ocean and something that would smell very pleasant while on the boat or shore.

Pink pepper is really coming through, at times. Artemisia? I really don’t pick up much, but there is some slight herbal bitterness there…if I stop and pay attention.

Which one is better? I really like the opening of Luna Rossa Ocean. It’s that absolute highlight of the cologne, to me. Very attractive and easy to wear. Familiar, while giving off its own style.

It has a great depth and sweetness that I completely enjoy.

Edge: Ocean

Projection

The two seem to open up at around the same upper level of moderate, with it how far they will project. Neither is a beast, but they are very noticeable by those around you, right after application.

Luna Rossa Ocean doesn’t hold up though. You get maybe 1-2 hours of decent projection, before it becomes super light. It’s kind of a bummer for something in this price range.

Meanwhile, Carbon is more consistent. Not a massive fragrance, it is just one that will stay steady and then slowly dissipate.  Easy win here.

Edge: Carbon

Longevity

With Luna Rossa Carbon, it has consistently performed well on my skin. I get over 8 hours of wear from it, sometimes in that 9-10 range. It sticks around and is overall a very solid scent, in this regard.

Ocean does have some performance issues. For me, it’s been 4-6 hours of total wear, during testing.

It is one that you’re going to have to spray like crazy in order to get decent longevity from it. Even with that, the last 2-3 hours are pretty much going to be sitting very close to the skin.

Edge: Carbon

Versatility

Both of these fragrances really do deliver value in terms of when you can wear each. They both fit in during pretty much all seasons. You can wear them casually, on a date, at work, or on formal occasions.

Mass pleasing for sure.

I think that I’d rather wear Ocean in the summer versus Carbon, but neither is strictly a hot wear wear.  These fragrances are daily wears for men of pretty much any age group.

I’m not sure that there is much of a distinction with these.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these colognes from Prada do I prefer?

If we were just going off of initial smell alone, I really prefer Luna Rossa Ocean. That opening act is fantastic and super pleasing to my nose. Carbon is cool, but Ocean gives me more.

The middle act is a fresh floral with notes like sage, coming through more. That initial caramel, will fade to a great extent.

But, the dry down is a pretty boring affair. Still nice, but you don’t get to enjoy the full experience thanks to its light sillage. It’s very floral, powdery, musky. Iris and lavender, a bit sweet, less ‘blue’ during this stage.

It still like it. But, I don’t like the performance. At full price? No, but I have already seen Ocean on sale that includes an extra travel sprayer. As such, I might still buy a bottle at some point. Just going to spray the hell out of it.

Carbon is just a bit better in terms of its consistency. I still like the way it smells, just not to the same extent. Plus, the performance is much better. It’s always been a better version of Sauvage.

I’ll probably own Ocean, but for most guys, Carbon would be the better play.

Phantom vs. Invictus Comparison

by

Paco Rabanne has come out with some pretty unique and memorable fragrances for men, over the years. It’s 2021 release was called Phantom, which is presented in a metallic robot bottle. Interesting, but how does it compete with one of the brand’s best sellers, Invictus EDT?

Tale of the Tape: Invictus vs Phantom

Invictus

Notes include: grapefruit, sea notes, mandarin orange, bay leaf, jasmine

Read my review

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Phantom

Notes include: lemon, lemon zest, lavender, patchouli, vetiver, apple, smoke, and more

Click here to try: Phantom by Paco Rabanne

phantom cologne review

Opening

Phantom opens up with lemon and apple giving it a juicy start.  The aroma is sweet and almost tropical, with how all of the notes come together. Under that, is lavender and vanilla, further pushing the aromatic creaminess.

That juicy citrus fruit opening will give way to a drier and earthy aroma. The juiciness fades, and patchouli will really start to come through along with an herbal sort of spice. It dirties it up, and yes, there is a touch of smoke.

Invictus opens with a citrusy candy-like aroma of a blend of orange and grapefruit notes. This is joined by an aquatic element, that gives it a summertime vibe.

Ambergris and bay leaf combine with the fruits and aquatic accord to give Invictus a sweet grape bubblegum sort of smell. Very blue-ish and watery, without giving off that oceanic sea water smell.

Which is better?

I’m going with Invictus. The initial fruity top of Phantom isn’t too bad, but that quickly goes away. That earthy, lavender, vanilla mix isn’t great. It feels thicker and heavier than Invictus, also. Meh.

Edge: Invictus

Projection

The projection for either can seem huge when first spraying, with those citrus notes and gourmand touches. But, it’s mostly an illusion.

Each of these is pretty moderate, from the start. I don’t think either is beast mode. Phantom quiets down sooner to something that sits closer, on my skin.

Ultimately, they hit about the same peak level of sillage. Neither is weak, but pretty decent on the whole.

Edge: Push

Longevity

With each of these colognes, I get about 6-7 hours. The Paco Rabanne line has had some long-lasting colognes over the years, but these are moderate.

Invictus was never a marathon runner for me. Phantom doesn’t seem to be either. It sticks around well enough, but doesn’t surpass its competitor.

Edge: Push

Versatility

I think that Invictus is better across all seasons than Phantom. Phantom works okay in warmer weather, but I think it smells better in the cold.

It’s been a mix of warm fronts and cold fronts this winter, as I’ve been testing Phantom, and it’s for sure more pleasing when it’s a bit chilly.

But, I don’t want to wear either in the very depths of winter. Invictus has more of a summer feel.

Both are more casual or daily wear or club scents for younger guys. Sure, some older men can wear these just fine, but that won’t be the target audience.

Other than that, they kind of fit the same bill. I’d give the edge to Invictus for the climate advantage.

Edge: Invictus

Overall Scent

Overall, I’m not a huge fan of either of these fragrances? Invictus, was one that I used to not really care for, but it did grow on me. Particularly, that opening act.

So, personally, I don’t want a full bottle of either.

Phantom is kind of a strange one. It’s familiar, but I can’t quite compare it to anything exactly. The opening that is citrusy and apple is pretty okay. I like the semi-tropical vibe that it puts out, when combining with the vanilla and lavender note.

The next phase, I enjoy much less. It becomes earthier with the lavender and a faint smokiness.

However, it then shifts to being lavender and vanilla dominate with a dry/grassy vetiver and the fruit notes seem to make a comeback. Just, at a much lower volume. Weird. If anything, it reminds me of the women’s YSL Libre series, stripped of the white floral notes.

I don’t hate Phantom, it just doesn’t really wow me in any way. Invictus can get boring after a while and I the dry down is probably its weakest point. Though, it will be my pick, because I like the citrus/aquatic start to it more than Phantom.

Phantom just isn’t very good, pretty forgettable, outside of the robot bottle.

Winner: Invictus

Libre Intense by YSL

by

Libre Intense was released in 2020 by YSL, as a follow up to the immensely popular and powerful Libre EDP. I got a sample of this, along with the original to really test them out and see how each differs from one another. Here’s my direct comparison post. In this one, I am going to do a deeper review of Libre Intense. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a try?

What does Libre Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, orange blossom, orchid, vanilla

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent for Women Libre 1.6 oz Eau de Parfum Intense Spray

My Full Review

Before we get into my review of Libre Intense, let’s see how YSL describes it: The iconic structure of Libre, a tension the lavender from France and the orange blossom from Morocco, reinterpreted in a suave and sensual way. The intensity of a melting floral core, where orange blossom flower absolute & blazing orchid accord fuse. A fragrance like a shout of freedom, the freedom to live everything with excess.

Libre Intense starts out with a sweet aroma. I don’t find it to be sugary or candy-like, but the citrus top and vanilla do give it that bright, warm, and upbeat attractiveness. It’s actually a great deal like YSL’s L’Homme Parfum Intense, but more vanilla.

The opening gives you quite a bergamot and orange-laden aroma. Both the fruit and the orange blossom itself. Which is why it strikes so close to that men’s YSL scent.

The lavender note is going to be present in this Libre flanker, but less so than in the original. That one had more of that note and a greater muskiness. This one goes more with the vanilla note and a balanced floral foursome.

Here it is: lavender, orange blossom, jasmine, and orchid. Orange blossom is strong early on, but my nose gets more orchid during the dry down stages. Jasmine is present, but it does come on all that strong, on my skin.

The vanilla qualities will ramp up, as the initial bergamot and orange juiciness fades. You also get tonka bean here, so there will bee that creamy and powdery aroma versus the soapy lavender of the original.

The ambergris, white floral notes, and vanilla end this one. It actually feels much drier and the sweetness has gone down a whole lot, by the late stage of this wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Libre Intense will leave its mark. This perfume is powerful, can project like crazy, and will never really be considered weak.

It’s not the absolute most powerful fragrance that I’ve come across or anything. But, for a designer scent, Intense is massive in comparison to most others…including the original.

The longevity here is also great. It will easily hit double digit hours, and went 12+ hours in my experience while testing it out.

So, performance isn’t an issue and not something you’d need to worry about. Except, maybe going overboard with the sprays.

Seasonally, Libre Intense is more of a cold weather fragrance. I’d stick to this from autumn through early spring. I wouldn’t venture into the summer months with this on, seems like it’d melt pretty quickly.

A cozy fragrance, but one that doesn’t completely shy away, more like a blanket that wraps you.

This one is probably better for adults rather than teens. It has a more mature vibe, not old-ladyish, but wouldn’t match with most younger girls or younger adults.

It is attractive, has a certain sexiness to it, and can absolutely venture into the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Libre Intense

Overall, do I like Libre Intense? I do. It’s a good fragrance on the whole and I do enjoy it much more than the original.

Mainly, less lavender makes this one better. It’s sweeter, has more orchid and orange blossom versus Libre. This one is more balanced, while actually living up to the Intense name.

I like that opening especially, as it reminds me of L’Homme Parfum Intense, which was great but had mediocre performance. Libre Intense does not, but does change into the dry down away from that YSL scent.

The latter stages are closer to the original. But, the lavender still shares the stage with the other floral notes. Still, orchid and orange blossom, mainly. It’s creamier and just feels richer than the first one.

The floral and ambergris end, isn’t my favorite. However, I like the opening and middle enough, for it to be not too big of a deal.

This one lasts freaking forever, has a great ability to project, and can leave a scent trail in your wake. For a designer and not niche perfume, this YSL is a monster.