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!

6 Best Smelling Tory Burch Perfumes

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Tory Burch has become a popular designer in the past decade or so and as such has released a whole lineup of fragrances during this time period. However, in that short time, these fragrance releases have become both well like and quite well sold.

So, for this post, I want to take a closer look at the top of the brand and select what could be considered the six best women’s perfumes by Tory Burch. As always, I have linked each out to its page on Amazon for further information and ease of purchase.

What are the Best Tory Burch Fragrances?

Most Popular, Best Seller

TORY BURCH Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– The original namesake fragrance. Tory Burch EDP is a citrus led floral perfume with strong mandarin orange and grapefruit notes. It is a clean and safe scent for daily wear with peony and neroli, sitting underneath.

The sillage isn’t huge but it is an upbeat and soapy scent that can be worn casually or at the office to great effect and a scent that smells quite nice. As it dries down, Tory Burch EDP reveal its soft woody and slightly musky base, with peony starting to play a bigger role. At that point, it is less of a citrus and more of a floral with citrus hanging around. Tory Burch EDP Full Review

Fruity Floral Blend with a Kick

Tory Burch Love Relentlessly 3.4 Oz Eau De Parfum Spray For Women– A patchouli-laden fruit mix that is sweet but not a teeny-bopper scent by any means. It has a warm pink pepper spice that isn’t too intense and plays nicely off of the patchouli note.

The main fruit note smells something like mango, though, I’m not entirely sure that this is in fact the ingredient. I think it might just be the way that raspberry and the other fruits blend together. The fruitiness, is fairly dominant up top. Then, you get the pink pepper spice, while the floral notes develop.

Here, it is going to be some iris and rose, which gives this scent a somewhat powdery aroma. Love Relentlessly has good performance and while sweet doesn’t have a huge sillage. Patchouli s a major factor here, so that might put some folks off to this perfume.

Best Summer Perfume

Bel Azur Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fl Oz– This has a very nice citrus opening and is very similar to Bergamotto di Calabria, except Bel Azur has a better longevity than that one. The sharp citrus of bergamot is met with the floral neroli note and creates something that is zesty and beautiful.

It’s none too aggressive or loud but Bel Azur is a nice fresh citrus that sits on top of that familiar peony note. The dry down period is much more floral with that peony than it is citrus when the initial top wave fades.

Refreshing summertime scent. There is a very slight woody base, but mostly a clean and summery peony with a citrus aroma.

Tuberose and Other White Flowers

Tory Burch ‘Jolie Fleur – Bleue’ Eau de Parfum Spray– A soft floral bouquet, composed mostly of white flowers, such as tuberose. It is mostly a perfume for lovers of tuberose but violet leaf is also pretty big here.

The sillage isn’t huge, but Jolie Fleur Bleue does have some decent staying power. Underneath, the tuberose and violet leaf is woody notes of cedar and sandalwood. This Tory Burch scent is clean and fresh.

There are light touches of citrus and jasmine, blended into the mix. A decent amount of creaminess from the smell of the floral ingredients. Not super complex, but can be a nice pickup for the right person.

Top Cold Weather Pick

Tory Burch Absolu for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7 Ounce– A cold weather scent that is woody with cedar and warm with pink pepper. This is a feminine woodsy scent that is a nice change of pace in the world of ladies fragrances.

Absolu is a very clean scent and the florals are there to support the cedar note and not vice versa. What you’ll get is lily of the valley and rose. Absolu is well balanced, smoothed, and has a classic cleanliness.

Absolu does have citrus notes like Tory Burch EDP, but they are toned down and blended with the cedar and vetiver to create a clean and not sharp smell. Floral, woody, with a solid mix to keep it interesting.

Green Floral

Tory Burch Just Like Heaven by Tory Burch Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz Women– Just Like Heaven is more of a niche kind of scent compared to the other more popular offerings of the line. Rhubarb, hyacinth, and heliotrope are the major players here.

It turns into a light, bit spicy, and quite greenish floral fragrance. Up top it is citrus and the rhubarb, which is bright and where I think the scent isn’t at its best. However, the dry down gives you some added sweetness from the tonka bean note, which pairs well with the hyacinth/heliotrope/ylang-ylang combo.

The performance is nice, but this one will hang in the air with a lighter sillage. Again, the dry down is where it’s at, and that opening isn’t too bad.

Dior Sauvage Parfum vs. EDT Comparison

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2019 has brought the release of a new Sauvage flanker, with it. This time it is called Sauvage Parfum (not to confuse with the EDP version), but how does it stack up when compared to the original and highly popular Sauvage EDT?

In this post, I want to break them each down and declare an ultimate winner, between them. Which smells better? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy? I have worn and reviewed each and am ready to share my thoughts.

Sauvage EDT or Parfum?

Sauvage EDT

Notes include: Bergamot, Ambroxan, Sichuan Pepper, lavender, pink pepper, and more

Click here to try: Sauvage by Chrisitan Dior Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Sauvage EDT Review

Sauvage Parfum

Notes include: mandarin, bergamot, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, ambroxan

Click here to try: Sauvage Parfum

Read my review: Dior Sauvage Parfum Review

Opening

The EDT starts off with a sharp and spicy blend of bergamot and Sichuan pepper. It hits boldly and with a loud quality, but settles thereafter, with a big dose of ambroxan and lavender.

I’ve really never enjoyed the opening of Sauvage EDT, all that much. It comes across as somewhat too harsh to my nose. It settles down and smells better, as it moves along.

Sauvage Parfum begins with that same bergamot note, but paired with mandarin orange, also. It’s juicy, not as sharp, and the mandarin outlasts the bergamot, to my nose. The ambroxan is toned down and the spicy pepper notes aren’t present.

Too much ambroxan can become sickening to smell. That seems especially true now, as so many men’s colognes have added that note, in order to emulate the success of Sauvage. Parfum’s restrained use of it, along with the citrus notes, really help set it apart.

Which is better? I prefer how Parfum begins. It’s much smoother and doesn’t have the big spiciness that the original EDT can develop. For me, Parfum is a much more pleasant experience.

Edge: Parfum

Projection

I’d say that they both start off strong. The EDT can feel as if, it is bolder, but it doesn’t have the same sillage staying power. I’d say that Parfum is much more consistent overall.

Parfum may not be stronger with its sillage, but it’s an equal and is steady. I’ll get a similar experience to the EDT’s opening, hours into the wear. The original Sauvage did have really good power for an eau de toilette, so, the power has never been an issue with this line.

Edge: Parfum

Longevity

A parfum version of a scent is going to have a higher concentration, so it should last longer on the skin. However, Parfum’s projection strength wasn’t greatly better, so what’s the longevity like?

Sauvage EDT has always gotten me 6-9 hours worth of wear, which is good. It’s a wide range for me, depending on the climate and what I’m doing.

However, Parfum, lasts for over 10 hours, on the skin. Neither one is a slouch, but Parfum is just better, in this regard. It was also more consistent in testing than EDT.

The baseline of Sauvage Parfum is better for me, than the best case that I’ve gotten, when I’ve used the EDT.

Edge: Parfum

Versatility

Here is where they are pretty evenly matched. Sauvage EDT is better in the heat, but isn’t spectacular in that regard, itself. Parfum is more mature and can be worn in an office-like environment better. Both can easily be worn as a nighttime cologne and are attractive.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Sauvage EDT was never my favorite fragrance, but I do like it well enough. The top can be a bit bothersome to me, but I like the lavender and ambroxan, in the dry down. The scent holds up well and does a good job at performing.

However, I prefer the newer Parfum version to the EDT. It’s smoother, darker, and more refined. It has a dryness, a sweetness, and isn’t an ambroxan bomb. The Parfum is more closely related to the EDP version, than it is the EDT. Actually, Elixir and the EDP, are the best of them.

It ends up being more woody and vanilla, but I really appreciate the use of the citrus notes in Parfum. The mandarin orange is a nice touch, that helps to set it apart somewhat from the others in the series.

Parfum does a great job performance wise, makes the Sauvage DNA more interesting, and the warm creamy aroma is super nice to smell on the skin. For me, it’s not really a close call. I’d rather wear Sauvage Parfum versus the EDT.

You can usually find the EDT for the cheapest, out of the Sauvage fragrances. So, if price is an issue, it might make more sense for you to go with that one.  On smell alone? Parfum.

Winner: Parfum

7 Best Smelling Tocca Perfumes

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Tocca has become a pretty famous designer brand over the past few decades. Starting off with their clothing options, and then later, introducing fragrances for women. In this post, I want to take a closer look at their perfume collection, and choose some that could be considered the best of the bunch. There are now dozens of them, which have been released, but I narrowed it down to seven to give enough options; but make it manageable.

What are the Top Fragrances by Tocca?

Best Floral Tocca

Tocca Giulietta Eau De Parfum, 1.7 oz– Lilac, tulip, and ylang ylang create a floral bouquet effect, that is joined by an early crisp green apple. So, it isn’t a pure floral fragrance, more floral/fruity, with some light musk added. Very pretty fragrance that has a light sillage, a bit of powdery aroma, but an overall clean profile.

The apple gives it that slightly sweet and watery feel to it. A greenish and somewhat garden-like scent, but mostly you’re going to get those floral accents. Plenty of soft lilac, with periods of tulip, and musk hanging around throughout.

I like this one better than the white floral blend of Florence, listed below. It’s more of a personal preference, but if you have the opposite inclination and love gardenia, you’d probably better served to go with that scent.

Best Seller 

Tocca Beauty Cleopatra Collection 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray– Cleopatra features some sweet fruit notes such as, peach, and flowers including jasmine and tuberose. This is all held together with musk and some light patchouli, which are a great tandem within this composition.

It’s mostly a feminine floral perfume with patchouli undertones, and fruity notes arising from time to time. It has a very similar profile to Lovely by SJP and Narciso Rodriguez, with it’s musky and patchouli blend.

So, if you’re familiar with those two scents, you know what to expect from Cleopatra. This one has a bit more of a fruitier aroma, than the other two, however.

Nice Newer Release 

Tocca Eau de Parfum, Gia–  Gia is a dynamic and bright use of Turkish rose and an aroma of citrus. It is one of the few to be released from this brand in the past handful of years, but I think that it is the best of that group.

Tangerine kicks off this Tocca fragrance and is paired with the warm spice of pink pepper. The spice is more like a hint, because the pink pepper is overwhelmed by the tangerine early on. Later on, the rose note begins to play a bigger role.

Most of what you’ll get is that tangerine and rose combination. However, it smells like the citrus gets wrapped up in a vanilla and amber creaminess, that is quite enjoyable to wear.

Gia is a sweet and creamy release, that is not heavy and can be worn in the warmer weather of summer.

Best Overall Tocca Perfume

Tocca Stella Eau de Parfum Spray – 50 ml/ 1.7 fl. oz.– Stella changes the pace from the more floral dominated entries on the list and goes straight citrus, up top. Blood orange is the main highlight here and it is both fresh and delicious.

Yes, there are other notes like musk and sandalwood. Plus, the lily, orchid, and freesia which really emerge during the dry down period.

The floral notes are pretty well-blended, but you will probably be able to pick up more on the lily versus the others. The citrus is juicy, but doesn’t have a really sharpness to it. It’s got a very nice transitional phase into that final dry down with a smooth and creamy sandalwood note.

I think that this might be the best of the Tocca line. There are several contenders, but this has great balance, and versatility.

White Floral Fragrance

TOCCA Eau de Parfum Florence 1.7 oz– Florence is an entry for those who love gardenia dominated perfumes. It’s got a clean, crisp, and watery background thanks to the fruity additions of apple and mostly pear.

Beyond that, you do get the usual gardenia pairing with tuberose, but the latter isn’t that strong. A very nice white floral perfume. The juiciness of the fruits give this one somewhat of a sparkling opening act, which plays beautifully off of the gardenia note.

This has lot of similarities to the Kim Kardashian scent, Crystal Gardenia, but Florence is a bit more well done. It’s smoother and has a soothing coolness to it. Very nice, but again, one for people who want a white floral scent.

Top Summer Perfume

Tocca Eau de Parfum – Simone – 1.7 oz– A fruity aquatic scent that is lead by a light and juicy watermelon scent. With that, is lemon and apple, along with a dash of saltiness at the start. It dries down with some floral notes, but never really relinquishes the watermelon essence.

Super fresh at the start, but the dry down is more of a light aquatic scent. Simone is a great change of pace perfume, for the summer months.

It’s not going to be a go-to for the entirety of the year, but is very refreshing and fund for when the temperatures start to rise. Light, clean, with a delicious opening act.

Top Tocca for Winter

Tocca Eau De Parfum Spray, Maya, 1.7 Fluid Ounce– A sweet powdery mix highlighted by that familiar scent of iris and a lovely black currant note. As it dries down, the light currant/iris blend, becomes woodier and patchouli begins to peak through.

Very simple and light, with a dry/woodsy infusion toward the end of the wear.

The black currant here, is light and mostly present during the opening. However, it does add a great dimension to Maya. The iris isn’t too overbearing here, so, don’t expect it to be pure powder or anything. Very simple fragrance, but has its strengths for sure.

Burberry Her by Burberry

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Burberry Her is a line that Burberry has seemed to want to develop further over the past few years, ever since this one was released in 2018. They’re still coming out with flankers, so, I guess it’s going to continue for quite a while.

I’ve tried Her EDP out before, but recently received a sample with an order from Macy’s…so, it’s time to do a full review. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is Burberry Her worth a try?

What does Burberry Her EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: strawberry, citrus, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, wood, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Burberry Her Eau De Parfum Spray

My Full Review

Let’s see how Burberry describes Her EDP: Effortlessly stylish, energetic, optimistic, adventurous and bold – the spirit of Her, captured in London – a beautiful, bustling, creative metropolis, eclectic and full of life.

Burberry Her opens up with its berry and citrus notes out in full force. I get a sparkling quality from the raspberry, a slight sharpness from the citrus, and a hefty dose of strawberry. On my skin, the strawberry definitely takes the lead early, and never lets it go entirely.

Since this one was designed by Francis Kurkdjian and has plenty of overlap with his famous Baccarat Rouge 540, it often gets compared. This one is much fruitier, has more of a spring/summer vibe, and is missing much of the depth.

Underneath the strawberry, I do get a hint of cherry and the other berry notes really just feel like a generic fruit note. It is sweet somewhat, but not overly so, it’s more bright/sharp/sour…pick your adjective.

One thing that I’ve noticed, is how weak the floral notes are in this mix. The jasmine does poke through later on, but it never grabs much attention. It’s there, just not doing very much. Perhaps, that’s just on my skin.

Later, it becomes muskier, woody, and resembles Cloud by Ariana Grande. Both have that general fruity sweetness, musk, and woods. Cloud is creamier.

That’s pretty much the development of Burberry Her. Bold berry and citrus start. Strawberry with a bit of jasmine. Then, sweet with musk and woods.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty strong at first. Not monstrous, but I was impressed with its ability to project. On a t-shirt, I could smell it from up to about 7 feet away. That was at its peak, once Burberry Her settles, it is more in the 3-4 foot range.

Later, it’s even more intimate. Really, gets soft and very pleasant.

The performance isn’t lacking. This will stick around on my skin for 8 hours of wear. On fabric, it keeps going well past that. So, if you’re into the scent, you definitely get your money’s worth.

Seasonally, I like this best in the warmer weather. I’d keep it mostly to the spring or summertime (when not super hot out). The fruity notes really dominate and it would stick out in winter weather, but it should also be fine in the autumn coolness.

Burberry Her has a youthful vibe to its aroma. It would work for teenagers, but adults can wear this easily, if you’re into the fruity perfumes. It’s pretty crowd pleasing and simple, not at all a formal wear, nor is it cheap and tacky.

Mostly, a daytime casual wear or one that you could go lightly with in the office.

Overall Impressions of Burberry Her

Overall, do I like Burberry Her? I do. I’m not in love with it, though. The Intense version is actually better, in my mind. It just gets overshadowed because of the BR540 comparisons with Her EDP.

The red berry and citrus opening is really great for a while. But, each time I’ve tried to wear this one, it begins to grate on my nerves a bit. It’s not one that I’d need to scrub off or anything, just the intense strawberry and sharp/sour citrus gets somewhat old after a while.

Though, when I do stick with it, I end up liking the dry down of this more. It’s closer to Ariana Grande’s Cloud than it is Baccarat Rouge. Still, Burberry Her is distinct enough from both of them.

It’s funny, this has been so successful that there are starting to even be, supposed perfume ‘dupes’ of Burberry Her.

The floral notes are light on me. I mostly get the cleanliness of musk and wood in the dry down with the strawberry and the mass of whatever is left of the other fruits.

Is this worth a try? Yeah, it’s one to check out. I don’t know that I’d blind buy it, as you might not like the way the berries sit on your skin. It’s not the best perfume out there, but it’s solid and can be a nice choice for the right person.

5 Perfumes that Smell Similar to Kai

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Kai has been a very popular perfume for women, over the past 10+ years. It’s a great gardenia led white floral scent. Simple yet elegant and clean. This popularity will lead folks to search for something that smells similar or is a cheaper comparable fragrance of the original What are some options for those who want a Kai smell alike?

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Kai?

Light and Refreshing

Kate Spade Walk On Air Eau de Parfum Rollerball Womens Perfume, 0.34 oz.– Walk on Air is of course going to have a lighter silage, just based on the name alone. It opens with a gentle citrus, white floral notes, and a fern note which hangs around throughout the wear.

Yet, this walk on air has a definite crispness and coolness to it, especially in the early stages after spraying. Not an exact one to one of Kai, but can cover a lot of the same ground as what you get with that one.

Another pretty and upbeat fragrance, with a refreshing aroma, that can fit in on any occasion. The performance is solid enough, for daily wear status, as well.

Easy Avon

Avon Haiku Eau de Parfum Spray– Kumquat and yuzu are some of the fruit notes that help to set Haiku apart, along with a fantastic and clean, lily-of-the-valley note. Refreshingly cool, crisp, and clean Haiku is a lighter perfume with dewy and outdoorsy undertones. An understated wear, which is safe to wear to work or casually.

More citrus than something like Kai, but this strikes the right tone, and is a closer smell alike during the latter stages of the wear. Haiku is already a well-known and liked scent, so, it’s really not much of a risk trying it out.

The Japanese inspired notes, help to take the usual floral fragrance, and create one that is distinct while being familiar. The latter stages, move away from the more citrus/green start, and more towards the floral end of things. Plus, a woody base, headed up by sandalwood.

In the end, you get a light musky jasmine, peony, and lily with the subtle remnants of fruits still making their way around. Also, a bit of a powdery finish.

KKW Entry

Diamond Kim– Diamond Kim might be the best cheapie for having a comparable experience to Kai, out of the lot. You get plenty of gardenia, with honeysuckle, and a very nice freshness. Is the performance the best? Not really, but it isn’t terrible.

The initial opening of Diamond Kim is closer to Kai, with its white floral notes, but this seems muskier and with a fresher smell later on in the wear. Probably not as good as Kai, but it is another option. I’d go with Kai, if I could help it.

The ylang-ylang and warm sweetness do come in from the base to give this KKW a further distinction from what we’re looking for.

Aquatic Floral that’s Similar

Cool Water- So, Cool Water is a bit of a different pick. It actually is quite floral and has plenty of overlap with Kai. Yet, it takes a more aquatic route, and with some additional fruity touches.

I figured that I’d toss this one in, because while it isn’t an exactly similar smell, Cool Water can offer a summertime option for Kai fans. This gives you initial blast of citrus notes, mainly lemon, with its aquatic undertones.

Then, the floral ingredients come in and give Cool Water a different tone, along with sandalwood for its soapiness. It’s overall vibe is very clean, breezy, and definitely evokes memories of life at the beach. Nice performance and extremely affordable.

cool water cheap perfume

High End Bouquet

Flowerhead by Byredo– I’m not sure if too many are going to go with this Byredo fragrance versus Kai, as it is much more expensive.

Nonetheless, you’re going to get a very similar scent.  This will give you a stronger tuberose and a bit of a grassy element.

The bouquet of flowers is a nice effect, then you get some dewy green grass, and the usual soapy sort of cleanliness. Again, not going to give you that much of a difference from Kai, and it can be a lot pricier.