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!

Best Smelling Elie Saab Perfumes for Women

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Elie Saab isn’t a mega brand when compared to some of the biggest sellers in fragrance. However, it has had a lot of success and launched plenty of great scents over the past decade or so. In this post, I wanted to introduce five ladies’ perfumes that could be considered the best of the line thus far, and have something for each kind of style.

What are the Best Perfumes by Elie Saab?

Popular Elie Saab Fragrances

GIRL OF NOW EDP 90ML– Girl of Now changes the pace of many women’s fragrances by not going for something that is purely floral or fruity. Instead, it opts for notes such as pistachio, almond, and tonka bean to head things up.

It’s an all-day wear that is sweet and still retains the underlying femininity. The opening is quite fruity and nutty, with highlights of pistachio and the pear. Now, the almond is present throughout, but it will grow in strength as the wear moves forward.

Girl of Now becomes very smooth and retains its sweetness. The fruity notes, loses strength during the duration of its life, but becomes replaced by a great tonka bean and the light floral touch of orange blossom.

Best Spring/Summer Wear

Elie Saab Le Parfum L’Eau Couture FOR WOMEN by Elie Saab – 3.0 oz EDT Spray– Like Girl of Now, L’eau Couture utilizes the almond note.

However, this one becomes much more of a floral and less of the sweetness of the first entry. It is light and refreshing and a good choice for a casual perfume.

You also don’t get the pistachio here, nor the tonka bean. That is instead replaced by a creamy vanilla note.

Le Parfum L’eau Coture takes the almond and orange blossom of Girl of Now; making these notes the absolute building blocks of this perfume. 

This one is still somewhat sweet, but towards the middle of the dry down, you get more of a jasmine and orange blossom combination. It comes across a floral and somewhat green smelling finish to the scent.

Orange Blossom Floral Fragrance

Elie Saab Le Parfum Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce– An original perfume from the Elie Saab line that has spawned a ton of flankers of itself. Le Parfum is a very feminine floral highlighted by jasmine and orange blossom. Quite the springtime, traditional floral perfume.

Elie Saab Le Parfum kicks off with a large dose of the orange blossom, that is then paired with, honey and patchouli. It’s of course sweet and floral, with a rose note beginning to creep into the picture.

However, the rose never quite catches on completely. Instead, you get jasmine and orange blossom occupying the top. Underneath that, is: patchouli, honey, and a cedar base. Great sillage, with 7-9 hour range of wear. Le Parfum Review

 

Bold Elie Saab Fragrance

Elie Saab Nuit Noor Eau Parfum Spray– Bold and darker entry to the list.  With notes of pepper, wood, honey, patchouli, rose, and more. Nuit Noor is dark, woody, with a spicy sweetness that is never linear and has a full personality to develop.

The spice in Elie Saab Nuit Noor consist of peppers and patchouli, mostly. The pepper is most noticeable in the opening, but gradually fades in favor of the earthiness of patchouli.

This one will get sweeter and woodier, as it moves along, but maintains its warming embrace. Honey soaked wood, seems to be the basis of the aroma at times, dotted with floral notes and spice.

best saab perfumes

The Other Girl of Now

Girl of Now Forever– While the original Girl of Now, uses nutty notes, Forever focuses more on the fruity side of things.

Black currant, raspberry, and citrus. The almond note is still there, but it is a bit player in this perfume. The sweet and tart blend is energetic and also has a certain sexiness about it.

These notes are flanked by rose and orange blossom, which are even less prevalent than the almond.

This is probably a bit below the original in terms of how I rate it. Though, awfully close and better than Shine, which was okay.

What you get is a fun juicy fruit fragrance with hints of vanilla and almond, with a muskiness in the dry down. Solid performance. Great for the spring and summer months, but not an immature or super sugary mess.  Girl of Now Forever Review

Winter Suede and Vanilla

Cuir Bourbon– A very nice scent for those who enjoy a smooth and rich vanilla during a colder day/evening. The vanilla is paired with suede to create an understated yet refined aroma.

The suede when paired with saffron, comes across as more of a rich leather. The vanilla dominates, but it is warm and not a super sweet version of the note, as it is tempered by the underlying musky base.

This is a great option for the autumn and winter months, with solid performance, and a delightful aroma.

Sweet Myrrh 

Elixir by Elie Saab– This one is a nice option that I think will be a good fit for some women, but might come off as too sweet for others. It’s also a heavier and syrupy aroma. 

Elixir has a rather strong use of neroli early on and it’s iris note will emerge more in the middle as it develops. Not too much powder emphasis in this perfume (more lipstick), just a pleasant sweet floral that develops into a somewhat more smoky and a tad resinous finish.

The base notes are led by myrrh as the focus, along with amber and benzoin. So, plenty of amber-like or adjacent notes to enjoy here. Super unique? Not really. Though, it’s a nice enough fragrance to warrant checking out.

 

 

Le Male Elixir Absolu Vs SWY Intensely

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Le Male Elixir Absolu follows on the heels of the very popular Elixir, as a part of the best-selling Le Male series from Jean Paul Gaultier. It’s entry as a bold and somewhat sweet cologne, is naturally going to draw plenty of comparisons with the other usual cold weather choices.

Stronger with You Intensely by Emporio Armani, is one of those usual choices. But, which of these men’s fragrances is actually better? Which lasts longer

Tale of the Tape: SWY Intensely vs. Elixir Absolu

Stronger With You Intensely

Notes include: pink pepper, cinnamon, toffee, lavender, sage, suede, amber, violet, vetiver

Click here to try: Intensely

My Full Review: Stronger with You Intensely

Le Male Elixir Absolu

Notes include: lavender, tonka bean, plum

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir Absolu

Read my review: Elixir Absolu

Opening

Stronger With You Intensely opens with spice as well, though it’s warmer here and doesn’t linger as long as in the original. Pink pepper really takes the spotlight, with cinnamon and sage rounding out the blend.

I notice the sweetness in Intensely shows up earlier. That toffee accord mixing with cinnamon and caramel really gives Intensely a more energetic personality.

Elixir Absolu opens differently yet familiarly compared to the original JPG Le Male Elixir. It drops the cooling mint note. Instead, you get plenty of lavender with some warmer spice and the new addition of sweet plum.

The plum actually isn’t too heavy at the start for me. It’s much less tart and sweeter than I expected it would be.

I’m not sure what the spice is here. It kind of smells like cumin mixed with a touch of cinnamon. The plum can carry a bit of spicy character too, but I’m personally getting cumin.

Lavender is the main focus with Le Male Elixir Absolu. What’s interesting is I get the sense of iris floating around in this mix. Haven’t seen anything from Gaultier mentioning this though.

Which is better? 

The opening for sure goes to the Stronger with You. While I like Absolu overall as a fragrance, the opening act is kind of messy and probably its worst part.

Edge: Intensely

Projection

This is a pretty close call. Both of these fragrances are quite powerful, have a large projection and a heavier dense feeling at times while wearing them.

I might give the edge to Elixir Absolu, as I think that it might have a slightly farther reach with how it projects. But, they’re about the same in my experience.

Edge: Push

Longevity

I get 11-12 hours with SWY Intensely. It’s a really great performer for a designer fragrance.

Does Absolu go beyond that? No, but it gets somewhat close, at least closer than many other colognes would. With the Gaultier, I get 9-10.5 hours of total wear from it. Still really good, just doesn’t hit the same level.

So, the Armani has the definite edge in longevity, with about equal projecting power.

Edge: Intensely

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are best worn autumn through early to mid-spring. Elixir Absolu isn’t as thick or cloying as the original Elixir can be, but it’s not exactly light either.

Within that, though, I think that SWY Intensely is the better option for date night or some other nightlife event versus Absolu. Neither is a formal sort of fragrance, but I think that the Armani can fit in better on a day to day basis.

Not a massive difference, but Intensely has the edge.

Edge: Intensely

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two fragrance do I prefer?

Le Male Elixir Absolu has quickly become one of my favorites from JPG. The opening act is a bit rough, but the dry down is quite good and something that I have enjoyed wearing.

I started wearing it almost exclusively versus the original Le Male Elixir. It’s smooth, sweet, and the lavender with a touch of plum is great. The performance is also great.

However, in comparison to Stronger with You Intensely, I don’t the Absolu is as good. The Armani is more versatile, is more consistent, has a bit better performance, and I think smells slightly more appealing than the Gaultier cologne.

Intensely is the best from the SWY series, in my opinion, and is also going to be the better choice for most men here.

Winner: Stronger with You Intensely

Pacific Chill vs City of Stars

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City of Stars and Pacific Chill have ended up being two of the more popular Louis Vuitton fragrances since their releases a few years back or longer. That being the case, they can often be the final choices that people have to make a decision on, in terms of which they should buy.

I have reviewed and tested each of these perfumes and in this post, I will compare and contrast each, and share which one of them I prefer.

Tale of the tape: City of Stars vs Pacific Chill

City of Stars

Notes include: red mandarin, bergamot, lemon, lime, blood orange, musk, tiare flower, sandalwood

My full review: City of Stars

Pacific Chill

Notes include: blackcurrant, lemon, orange, ambrette, cedar, coriander, basil, carrot seeds, peppermint

Read my review: Pacific Chill by Louis Vuitton

Opening

Pacific Chill opens cold, sharp, and intensely fresh. Citrus leads the charge, but there’s also a strong greenish quality running through it.

Peppermint, coriander, and basil shake things up, making for a really distinctive first impression.

On my skin, peppermint takes control among those three, with the others playing more of a support role. This shifts as time goes on and the  basil starts pushing forward and eventually takes over from the mint.

Blackcurrant brings out the sweet and tart side that Chill projects and stays pretty strong for a decent stretch. But both the mint and blackcurrant eventually begin to fade

Pacific Chill transforms into something more citrus and basil-driven. On me, orange and citron come through clearly, joined by this apricot-like smell that develops.

The opening of City of Stars is obviously going to be citrus-heavy just from the listed notes. Lime really jumps out as the main focus. You can pick up some blood orange and bergamot too, but it mostly reads as a blended citrus mix for most of the wear.

The citrus here doesn’t completely take over like it does in Afternoon Swim, for example. Instead, the tiare accord and musk claim their own strong territory right from the start.

Louis Vuitton calls this a nighttime fragrance, but it honestly feels quite beachy. I guess night could work too. The citrus and tiare give it this tropical vibe that seems more sunny and daytime to me.

One thing you’ll notice during the wear is this ongoing balance between powdery and creamy qualities. The musk, tiare, and sandalwood keep trading off to create that effect.

Which do I prefer? I like what’s going on early with Pacific. It’s cool and fresh, which plays well off of the fruits.

But, I think Stars has the better opening between these two Louis Vuitton fragrances.

Edge: City of Stars

Projection

City of Stars has pretty moderate sillage. It does hang in the air and creates a nice scent trail behind you for about the first hour.

The projection probably peaks around seven feet. After that, it settles into a 3-4 foot range for most of the wear. It’s a personal bubble of fragrance for you to enjoy.

I think that Chill is slightly more substantial and has a further reach than does City of Stars. At least, initially. Pacific Chill is stronger out of the gate then it compatriot.

It doesn’t blow out City of Stars, but it has an advantage.

Edge: Pacific Chill

Longevity

With City of Stars I get in the 6-7.5 hour range. It’s capable of hitting that upper band, but doesn’t always do so. It’s pretty mid with how long it lasts.

Pacific Chill I also get around 7.5 hours, but it seems to be more consistent with that outcome versus City of Stars. I didn’t notice this LV fragrance quitting very much before that and it might be more capable of going into the 8-ish hour range.

Not a huge difference, neither is spectacular, but I think Chill takes this category.

Edge: Pacific Chill

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these are in spring and summer territory. Definitely warm weather fragrances, that aren’t overly serious.

Pacific Chill is unisex, but leans more feminine. It doesn’t go completely into that zone, but those fruity shampoo qualities certainly push it that direction.

It also feels much more youthful than the other LV summer fragrances. Not particularly mature.

This one’s more for daytime casual wear anyway. Not something you’d reach for during nightlife or even formal summer occasions. So even if it reads somewhat immature, it shouldn’t be much of an issue.

City of light is also unisex territory, leaning feminine. Tiare usually shows up in women’s perfumes, so, it does lean that way.

Again, I’m not sure why this gets marketed as nighttime wear. Maybe for warm summer evenings out, but this really reads as casual to semi-formal daytime territory.

It’s pretty and appealing. Not super seductive or attention-grabbing. More about clean powder and musky cream.

I might give a slight edge to Pacific Chill for its shampoo-like clean in the dry down. But, there’s not too much of a difference here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two LV fragrances do I prefer?

I was excited to try Pacific Chill back when it came out. I was looking forward to the perfume based on the notes and came away somewhat underwhelmed. I like the fragrance well enough, but I am somewhat puzzled as to why it became so popular.

I guess I’m more in the minority who just thinks that its fine. The early stages are interesting, but it’s nothing special in the back half.

I’m going with City of Stars versus what I get with Pacific Chill. Since the performances are basically the same, it comes down to how each smells and City is just better to me.

The mix of the citrus and the tiare flower is fantastic. I really enjoyed wearing this one while I made my way through the sample.

That’s my pick. They’re extremely close in every other way, but the scent itself really separates them, in my opinion.

Now, if you don’t want something that has that creaminess or that more traditional beachy sort of aroma, you should probably go with Chill versus City of Stars.

Winner: City of Stars

8 Best Smelling Perry Ellis Colognes for Men

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Perry Ellis doesn’t usually come up when talking about the ‘best’ designer fragrances on the market. However, this is one of those houses that definitely plays a role within the industry. You will find that most Ellis colognes are available for under $30 and almost universally smell good.

This is a brand that presents so much value for the guy looking to smell fantastic without having to break the bank. In this post, I am going to present what I feel are the 8 best Perry Ellis colognes that have been released thus far.

Favorite Perry Ellis Fragrances for Men

Warm Spice for Winter

Perry Ellis M for Men, 3.4 fl oz Eau de Toilette– Sweet vanilla meets spice from cinnamon and anise to create a fragrance that is sneaky good.  Very warm and fresh, wintertime kind of cologne, that does a solid job at filling that niche.

M is a very nice inexpensive option, as it has a similar scent to Chanel Allure. Not exactly the same, but you do get a close vibe. Creamy vanilla/tonka bean, with spices, and dries down with a bit of a powdery finish.

Citrus and Wood

Perry Ellis Night By Perry Ellis for Men Eau-de-toillete Spray, 3.4 Ounce–A citrus/woody scent that delivers blood orange and lemon notes in a very pleasant presentation. It has a woody dry down that has mossy elements. Don’t really get the ‘night’ moniker, but it is a damn nice cologne.

I really like blood orange in fragrances, it doesn’t get used often enough. The citrus is the star, but, the woodsy base brings it all together with a fresh and somewhat spicy kick. Also, a bit of an amber in there, as well.

Not super complex or one that’s going to stand out with its boldness. But, it gives you a nice experience at a low price.

Reach for the Sky

Sky by Perry Ellis– If you can get this one for fairly cheap, it’s worth checking out as an easygoing daily wear.

Citrus and a light mint note kick things off up top. It’s clean, bright, and sitting on top of a further watery base thanks to the aquatic notes and a touch of violet leaf.

Style wise, this is a lot like other scents like Polo Blue or even Sauvage to some extent. But, Sky is more aquatic and less woody than the Dior in particular. Though, in the dry down there is a good bit of ambroxan.

I will say that it doesn’t smell exactly like any of them, just you know along the lines of what you’re getting here, if you’ve smelled those types of colognes before.

Crisp and watery with some lavender, but mostly that citrus aquatic vibe is what this one is all about.

Midnight Amber

Midnight by Perry Ellis– Not sure if this is a flanker of Night or the brand just continued the theme in their naming. Either way, Midnight is another great release from Perry Ellis, this time giving you an amber and citrus blend.

The opening is an orange note with the ever-present amber and some spiciness provided by cinnamon and rosemary. Beyond that, vanilla gives it a further delicious creaminess, particularly in the dry down when it pairs with the amber.

The thing is, Midnight is not a heavy cologne that will bog you down, it does have a great freshness to it. The citrus, spice, and geranium make sure of that.

Performance is okay. This one is available for cheap, so, don’t expect some complete beast or anything. For the price? I think Perry Ellis Midnight is well worth getting.

The Acqua Alternative

Perry Ellis 360 Red for Men, 3.4 fl oz EDT– Famously well-performing and great smelling fragrance that is available at a low price. Has a familiar blend of citrus with a bit of a spicy kick. Solid cologne all around.

360 Red by Perry Ellis gets compared often with Acqua di Gio. While they do share quite a similar structure, this one has much more of a citrus based aroma, with its lemon and lime start. Later, clove and cinnamon provide its spicy and more masculine edge.

Fresh and inexpensive, with guys swearing by this cologne for years.  360 Red Review

Fresh, Clean, Sporty

Perry Ellis Reserve By Perry Ellis For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– A softer, clean scent that has a hint of sweetness and almost soapy quality to it. A nice casual everyday wear, that won’t overpower, but has a intriguing aroma.

Reserve is a fresh blend with fruits, florals, woods, and musk all mixed together. A 90s throwback with a nice dose of lavender and juniper berries, after that citrus punch in the opening. Good energy and one that can be worn daily or in more casual situations.

The Other 360

Perry Ellis 360 White for Men, 3.4 fl oz Eau de Toilette Spray-The other 360 flanker fragrance on the list, 360 White,  has that Le Male vibe but seems much softer and different enough to stand on its own. Light with floral sweetness and a minty body.

The main difference is going to be the citrus notes up top and the powdery quality is a bit ramped up. Not too heavy and quite versatile for an inexpensive cologne.

It is harder to find a bottle nowadays, as I think that it’s been discontinued. 360 White is still around, so, I’ll keep it on the list but you’ll probably have to search a bit to find it at a good price.

A Bit Like Bleu

Perry Ellis Pour Homme, 3.4 fl oz EDT– Perry Ellis Pour Homme is a clean citrus and spicy fragrance for men, that does a close impression to Bleu de Chanel. At least, for something at this price point.

Beyond that, you get cardamom warmth, lavender, and a lighter woody base and musky dry down. It’s not a terrible performer and will get you plenty of use, just don’t expect a marathon runner. Quite a good cheapie alternative to Bleu, that gives you a nice orange note in lieu of the Chanel citruses.

Paradoxe by Prada

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Paradoxe eau de parfum is the first release in this series from Prada. It was released back in 2022. It has since spawned a number of flankers and has enjoyed a good amount of popularity.

I recently found a sample of this that I had initially tried a few years ago, but never got around to doing a full review for. So, let’s change that.

How does Paradoxe EDP smell? How long does it last? Is this Prada worth a try?

Prada Paradoxe Overview

Notes include: neroli, pear, tangerine, bergamot, orange blossom, white musk, jasmine, vanilla, amber, benzoin

Click here to try: Paradoxe by Prada

Full Review

Paradoxe kicks off sweet, fruity, and bright. Neroli dominates as the main note for those first 20-30 minutes of the wear.

But it shifts pretty quickly on my skin, moving more toward orange blossom, as it hits the heart.

The fruit here smells more like a candy flavoring than fresh, natural fruit. There’s some effervescent pear in there, but citrus really drives the opening. The pear smells more natural to me, than the citrus.

Sort of a less intense version of what comes with something like Devotion by D&G. Tangerine being the most prominent fruit note in this initial stage, but it won’t be too much of a factor, as it develops. 

After that bright opening fades, this Prada becomes more floral focused. For me, orange blossom takes the lead over jasmine. Neroli still lingers around, but orange blossom clearly has the upper hand at this point.

The vanilla will come through, the fuzziness of the benzoin, and amber too. However, none of these are super heavy in the mix. More of a support, sort of musky in the finish. Though Paradoxe is mainly a orange blossom and jasmine blend at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Paradoxe isn’t a heavy fragrance. It’s moderate in terms of its sillage, that scent trail isn’t too massive, and I don’t feel like it’s too cloying. Yet, those first few hours of wear do have a pretty far and above average projection.

After that, it’s still noticeable and very solid in comparison to a lot of the other mainstream designer perfumes, along these same lines.

The longevity is also above average. Not elite by any means, but I have been getting between 8.5-10 hours, on my skin. You should get your money’s worth with this one (and the Intense version is even better).

Paradoxe to me, is at its best in the autumn or springtime. It can venture into the summer and the winter too, but it smells better when it’s a moderate day.

This is going to be more of a daily wear scent. It is very versatile, not super formal, but not too sweet as to feel juvenile. It’s one of those fragrances that can hit a wide variety of use cases and not be too out of place.

You might use this as your main scent and then break out something else for evenings or more special occasions. This is more of a pleasant perfume, that smells nice, but isn’t truly going to stand out as being all that ‘unique’.

Overall Impressions of Paradoxe

Overall, do I like Paradoxe? I think that it’s pretty good. There’s nothing that is bad about this perfume from its smell to its performance, but it’s just not a great fragrance. Likeable and a good daily wear, just nothing amazing.

The pear and tangerine are nice and add some more personality to the opening act. Benzoin and the musk further deepen it. However, you’ve probably smelled plenty of other perfumes that are at least sort of like this Prada scent before.

I think that it’s worth a try. Paradoxe EDP is fresh and pretty and an overall enjoyable experience and it seems at this point, you can find it for a decent price. It may not be your absolute favorite, but this one can serve as a workhorse of your perfume collection.