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!

9 Best Smelling Bay Rum Colognes

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Bay Rum is a classic scent for men. Most of the use, however, lies in the past. For many, it brings about thoughts of their grandfathers or some pirate sailing around the Caribbean. Despite any of that, it’s still a type of fragrance with many fans and others who’d like to give it a try. In this post, i’d like to present you some options to get the bay leaf experience in either aftershave or cologne form.

What are the Best Bay Rum Colognes and Aftershaves for Men?

St. Johns Bay Rum– St. John’s is a powerful example of bay rum and one that is heavily weighted towards the spicy notes. Seriously, this stuff is a clove and cinnamon experience in a bottle.

The bay leaf and rum won’t be taking over, but, this is an exhilarating aftershave for guys who want the spice bomb treatment.

Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum– Pinaud is a very inexpensive option for guys looking for this kind of scent. The rum here is strong, but surprisingly good for the price point. Plenty of spice and booze with Virgin Island bay rum, but less of the leaf.

This one can be used as either an aftershave or cologne. Bold and masculine, with a cinnamon rum kind of aroma.

Royall Bay Rhum– Royall Bay Rhum fits in the aftershave category, more than the cologne end of things, as it doesn’t have a huge longevity. That being said, the smell itself, is that classic sort of fragrance that we’re looking for.

This one leans heavy on the bay leaf, with less clove and spices than the other, but it does include a really great mint boost.

C.O. Bigelow Bay Rum– A nice and affordable bay rum, with a big hit of clove, for those who are a fan of that ingredient. It’s spicy and bold up top, with a light citrus finish.

It does settle down somewhat, from its intense introduction, and you will get more of the bay leaf and booze soaked smell.

Yes, a clove bomb at first, but it will balance out and provides a fantastic example of a bay rum scent.

Havana by Aramis– Havana is a fragrance that has a bay rum feel, while taking things in a slightly different direction. As its name would suggest, you’re going to get a tobacco note in spades, with this one. It’s less smoky and more of a cured tobacco.

Woody? Yep. Spicy? Yes. Bay Leaf? Some, but not a huge amount. Not really as boozy as it is herbal and woody. Dry and masculine in the dry down stage, with a deep fir note and classic oak moss aroma.

Havana straddles the line in two types of scent categories, but does a very good job of it.

Island Life by Tommy Bahama– Not as much of a boozy fragrance than the other offerings on the list, no bay leaf, but this does still manage to fit the bill in many ways.

Island Life is a tropical offering, with plenty of nutmeg spice, an oceanic/island vibe, and a fresh and clean cedar base note.

A nice scent, if you can still get a hold of a bottle, as it has been discontinued for a while. I figured that I may as well include it on this list, for those who are interested.

Man In Black- This cologne from Bvlgari isn’t a bay rum, really, as it doesn’t have a bay leaf note. However, it brings the spices and rum, in spades. It’s one of my favorites to put on in the autumn and winter months and it does a good job at getting close to what we’re looking for.

Add to the booze, tobacco, leather, and woods with a mix of spices including cinnamon.  This is a winner, and one I suspect many guys looking for bay rum, will enjoy. It has more depth and feels darker than typical bay rum.  Man in Black Review

Bentley for Men Intense– As far as colognes go, this is a really close example of that bay rum sort of aroma. It checks all of the boxes: rum, bay leaf, spices. Add to that, a nice leather note and woody base.

The opening of Bentley Intense is quite rum soaked with a plenty of cinnamon, bay leaf, and pepper. As it dries down, this one becomes smoother, with the boozy rum and leather pairing up. You still get the spices and bay leaf, but they are more reserved in the latter stages.

Agua Brava– This is kind of borderline, but close enough to bay rum, that I thought that I should include it on the list. Agua Brava is a classic scent from Antonio Puig, that doesn’t have the rum, but gives you plenty of spice and a woody base.

Pine and bay leaf combine to give you a masculine aroma, in the base, but you get a nice citrus and spice kick off up top. Again, not an exact match, but definitely shares many characteristics of what we’re in the hunt for.

5 Perfumes Similar to Estee Lauder Knowing

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Knowing has been around for over 30 years, at this point, and still remains fairly popular. Now, it’s not a best seller anymore, but there are die hard fans that swear by it. Not only that, it gains new converts, as bottles are readily available. But, what if you want something similar to Knowing? Are there any cheaper comparable smells to this Estee Lauder fragrance? What are some good alternatives to try out?

What are Similar Scents to Knowing by Estee Lauder?

Paloma Picasso – Paloma Picasso is a really close alternative to Knowing. They are around the same price, so, it’s probably not going to be a cheaper buy in all cases. This one is a bit warmer, has a deeper/darker feel to it, than what we’re aiming for.

Nonetheless, it can lighten up somewhat, as it moves along. It gives you a carnation, coriander, and citrus opening act. Followed by a musky, and at times, rough middle act. Later, it feels woodier, cleaner, and somewhat herbal. Very interesting scent, that can absolutely pack a punch.

Animale for Women– Like a sweeter mix of Knowing and Paloma Picasso, from above. This one will give you a bigger dose of honey with some light fruits in the background. Rose, carnation, and ylang ylang are the main floral ingredients…but rose is more pronounced in this perfume.

Animale is a powerful scent, as well. Despite the name though, I don’t think the current versions have as much of that musky/civet aroma, as the other options listed here. It becomes a tamer floral with green woodsy cleanliness, provided by that oak moss.

Diva by Ungaro– A throwback to the early 1980s that is probably best worn by a mature woman. It is fairly inexpensive with nice woodsy notes and some florals.

A lot of the scents on this list came out in the same decade, as there isn’t too big of a market anymore for newer versions of these sorts of scents, it seems.

Diva kicks off with light citrus and spices, that are paired with mostly rose and honey. This is closer to Animale, in terms of smell, but with heightened rose. The rest of it? Like, a more powdery version of Knowing. Yep, the sillage here is also huge.

La Perla– La Perla can be a pretty sharp scent, with a lot of patchouli, in the opening stages. It settles into something that is quite woody, somewhat smoky, with an underlying sweetness to it. It’s a chypre perfume, though, not exactly like Knowing.

It is very similar in its composition, probably lighter in sillage, but with a greater spicy punch. Pepper, patchouli, and coriander will do that.

 

 

La Panthere Legere by Cartier– Legere isn’t an exact one to one of Knowing, nor as close as the others. However, it is in the same realm, and uses many of the same notes. Legere opens up with more fruit than does our Estee Lauder target perfume.

The oak moss note and muskiness, with overlapping floral ingredients, is where they share lots of commonalities. This one turns cleaner and soapier towards the end of the wear. Gardenia and tiare flower are the main floral notes here and create a further distinction. La Panthere Legere Review

 

Instinct vs Intimately Beckham Cologne Comparison

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David Beckham has put out a bunch of different fragrance for men over the years. In the celebrity perfume space, they are both quite popular, and highly affordable. Two of the best sellers from his line are, Intimately Beckham and Instinct. As such, these are the two guys have to decide between most often. Which smells best? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Instinct or Intimately Beckham?

Instinct

Notes include: Amber, mandarin, orange, anise, bergamot, cardamom, patchouli, vetiver

Click here to try: David Beckham Instinct EDT Spray For Men, 2.5 Ounce

My review: David Beckham Instinct Cologne

Intimately Beckham

Notes include: Amber, sandalwood, cardamom, grapefruit, star anise, nutmeg, violet

My review: Intimately Beckham for Men

Opening

Instinct kicks things off with its citrus notes, taking center stage. It is a blend of mostly orange, but with some bergamot. It smells super clean with some spicy anise and a slight soapy quality, thanks to the vetiver added in.

Intimately Beckham opens up with a woodsy/spicy/earthy sort of aroma. It features sandalwood, violet, and cardamom as the main trio up front. Along with that there is added spice from nutmeg and a very light citrus smell from grapefruit.

Which is better? I much prefer the start to Instinct versus Intimately Beckham. The citrus and fresh cleanliness are very well done. Intimately, gets better with some time, but I’m not much of a fan of the opening. Too much violet and spice.

Edge: Instinct

Sillage

Which fragrance projects itself better? While neither fragrance is a beast, Intimately Beckham does have more strength than its competitor.

Instinct starts off as a lower tier moderate scent, becoming pretty much a skin scent, in its latter stages. Meanwhile, Intimately starts off a notch above Instinct, but also ends up as a lighter perfume. Again, not a huge difference, but Intimately does hit a higher peak.

Edge: Intimately Beckham

Longevity

On my skin, Instinct lasts about 3-4 hours. Intimately Beckham will go 4-5. Obviously, neither is going to be elite, but Intimately is a little bit better. Considering both are available in the $10-15 range, I wouldn’t expect crazy performance.

Putting down a layer of unscented lotion on the skin before spraying, can help add some longevity, but it won’t work miracles.

Edge: Intimately

Versatility

I think that either of these can work in a variety of social situations. They’re non-offensive, can be worn by the younger crowd, and are versatile for daily wear or an evening out. Equal in this regard.

Climate wise, Instinct has much better versatility. It can be worn year round, performs well in heat, and isn’t out of place in the wintertime. Intimately, doesn’t hold up well in heat. It becomes cloying and not too pleasant. In the cold? Really nice, but not so, in the summer.

Edge: Instinct

 

 

Overall Scent

Thus far, it has been an extremely tight race between these two fragrances. Both have their strengths and negatives. For the price, I think both smell really good, and have a higher quality than most others in the same range. However, the sacrifice comes on the performance end of things.

Intimately Beckham has better performance, and I thin, that it’s dry down smells much better than how it opens. I like the sandalwood and amber notes, with a blend of spices like anise, surrounding it.

The violet also gets better. Though, I’m not crazy about the smell. It’s certainly pleasant, but not outstanding.

Instinct doesn’t quite measure up performance wise, but it has the better versatility. It’s a true year round scent. Plus, I ultimately think that it smells better than Intimately Beckham.

I’d be willing to give up perhaps an hour of wear for the better aroma. Thus, it’s going to win this battle, for my tastes.

Winner: Instinct

4 Colognes Similar to Jimmy Choo Man

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Jimmy Choo’s line of fragrances, has gotten a lot of fans as of late. It all started out with the original, Jimmy Choo Man. Guys dig the fresh pineapple and suede notes. Though, it can be pretty expensive, in many places. What are some good smelling alternatives? Any comparable options that smell alike to Jimmy Choo Man?

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Jimmy Choo Man?

A Designer Alternative

Coach New York Eau de Toilette Spray For Men, 3.3 Fl Oz– If you want an alternative to Jimmy Choo Man, that smells quite a bit the same, Coach for Men is that scent. 

It utilizes kumquat, citrus, and pear in lieu of the pineapple note. Coach’s fruit notes are surrounded by amber. The pear is the strongest of the lot, but it has a bright underlying citrus aroma. Fairly linear fragrance, that lasts around 5 hours, on my skin.

Personally, I think that Jimmy Choo Man smells better, due to the suede note. Though, they are fairly close. Coach for Men Review

Cheaper with a Similar Style

Antonio Banderas King of Seduction Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– King of Seduction is a fragrance that sits in the same family as Jimmy Choo Man, while not being a complete match. It has some similarities with Blue Seduction, Jimmy Choo Man, Invictus and a hint of Aventus by Creed.

Another summer scent with a vetiver and cedar base to prevent it from going too far into the aquatic category. However, King of Seduction does have oceanic notes, which separates it from our target.

Though, it overlaps with pineapple, suede, and citrus. This Antonio Banderas fragrance is fruity, musky, with an aquatic aroma permeating it. 

The Better Jimmy Choo Scent

Intense Eau De Toilette, Fougere Oriental Woody, 3.3 fl. oz. JIMMY CHOO – I’m putting the flanker to Man on here, as it smells very similar, and I think it is a better cologne. Though, I will say, I think I prefer the opening few minutes of the original more.

However, I get better performance from Intense, as well as the overall smell in totality.

Intense gives you a nice juicy fruitiness, paired with lavender, and tonka bean. Sitting underneath that, is a nice small dose of spiciness, provided by pepper and patchouli. Man Intense is very well-liked and will receive complements.

This is the type of cologne, for a guy who wants a simple daily wear, that will be appreciated and not too heavy. No worries, the Intense name, doesn’t mean the sillage is unbearable. Pretty moderate, in fact, but that’s what you’d want for its purpose. My Review

 

 

Melon Tonic

Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Men Eau De Toilette, 3.4 Ounce– First Instinct features a gin and tonic accord, which gives it that carbonated sensation of tonic water. It’s sweet with sort of a tropical vibe at times, along with a nice pepper note.

This isn’t as fruity as Jimmy Choo Man, but you get: melon, citrus, and suede. Giving First Instinct, a relative relatedness to our target. Admittedly, not a one to one comparison, by any means. 

It mellows out the sweetness some during the dry down and you get the wonderful melon note along with musk. You could also go with First Instinct Blue, if you can find a bottle of the stuff. That one, is pretty close to Coach for Men. 

7 Perfumes that Smell Like Dessert

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For some folks, dessert is their favorite part of any meal. Not only the tasty and sugary flavors, but also the aroma of cakes, ice creams, chocolates, and other baked goods. There’s plenty of women who not only love the taste of dessert, but want to smell like it with their perfume selections. There are obviously a lot of choices out there, but let’s see if we can locate some of the best dessert smelling fragrances. 

 

What are some fragrances that smell like dessert?

Britney Spears Women’s Fantasy Eau de Parfum, 100 ml/3.3 oz.– Warm, flirty, and sweet. Fantasy is always a popular ladies’ fragrance and for good reason, it smells fantastic.  Fantasy is truly a sensual perfume that is quite memorable. Notes include: kiwi, white chocolate, musk, lychee, jasmine, orchid, and quince.

This one skews towards the younger crowd, with its fruity and confectionary elements. However, at it’s price point, it is a delicious example of a gourmand that has good performance and delivers on the aromatic aspect. Sweet, upbeat, and a bargain.

 

Prada Candy Night- Sure, the original Prada Candy did smell like Candy, but this one is much better overall and closer to what we’re looking for. A true, win/win.

Candy Night is a warm and delicious blend of caramel, vanilla, and of course a proper chocolaty note. It’s got enough sweetness to be attractive, but it doesn’t venture into being something for the younger set. Candy Night is well put together, flirty, and has a great gourmand/dessert aroma.

 

Armani Code Satin– Armani Code Satin can definitely satisfy a sweet tooth, not that it’s insanely sugary, but it provides a fantastic blend of scents to mimic different dessert types.

First, you get a light and creamy sorbet note, which pairs with vanilla, and fresh ginger. Some pear kicks things off, with its short role at the top of the mix, before this transitions into its floral middle act (neroli, mostly). What you end up with is a chocolate/vanilla floral with orange floral notes and ginger coming through. Strong sillage, great performance.

 

Live Irresistible Delicieuse– Delicieuse opens up smelling like a cherry pastry, to my nose. It’s going away from the chocolate sort of dessert to a baked goods kind of scent. Following that, you also have notes of vanilla, almond, and caramel. The caramel is short lived, but the other two hang around with the cherry and with the floral addition of rose.

Delicieuse is warm, sweet, and fairly edible. The scent is pretty moderate with its projection, and I managed to get, a full 7 hours out of it in testing. This is a delightful release from Givenchy. Full Review.

 

Good Girl Velvet Fatale– The flanker to the original Good Girl, this stiletto bottle comes wrapped in velvet, and gives you some really sweet notes to boot. The base is a mix of woody and floral notes, but this is dominated by ingredients like praline, coffee, vanilla, and almond.

Very light fruit and spices from cinnamon and patchouli, dot the perimeter of this fragrance. Good Girl Velvet Fatale might still be a bit difficult to find, but it is a really pleasant example of a warm and gourmand blend of notes, done right.

 

 




La Petite Robe Noire Intense– La Petite Robe Noire has been the title of many flankers in this line. Two that I tested out were much more situated around a cherry note. This one, Intense, goes for a berry and cotton candy infused aroma, with patchouli playing a larger role in the dry down.

Robe Noire Intense has that sugary cotton candy aroma down pat, with a juicy mix of berries, and a dash of citrus. Later on, there is some woodsy type of notes, rose, but mostly staying on the really sweet side of things. 

 

Ariana Grande Sweet Like Candy Eau de Parfum, 3.4 Ounce– This is a lighter and more subtle sort of perfume, but I think that Sweet Like Candy, is the best release from the pop star. 

Vanilla, blackberry, whipped cream, and of course, marshmallow pull together to form a warm and youthful candy-like aroma. Sweet Like Candy comes in fun looking bottle,  the scent starts off with its berry and pear blend, much like some other entries.

However, this one begins to shift more to a creamy, sweet, and familiar aroma. Lots of whipped cream with a vanilla touch and a great marshmallow addition. Very soft, girly, and sits beautifully in the colder weather.