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!

Hugo Element by Hugo Boss

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I recently got a hold of a sample of Hugo Element cologne by Hugo Boss. I’ve already done plenty of Hugo Boss reviews on this site and I’ve been wearing Hugo Red seemingly a lot over the summer, so I was looking forward to getting to try out another scent from this house’s line.

In this post, I want to explore how this fragrance smells, how it performs, when it could be worn, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

What does Hugo Element Smell Like?

hugo element

Notes include: ginger, coriander, cedar, courmarin, calone

Click here to try: Hugo Boss Cologne for Men, Element, 3.0 Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

Note: I’m updating this page after 6 years to meet the new formatting of the website. Boss Element has been discontinued for a long while at the point.

The opening of Hugo Element is kind of an aquatic blast of ginger for the first 5 minutes before transitioning into a citrus laced fragrance. I have to say, the citrus notes in this are fantastic, they are really fresh and juicy.

Element is quite crisp and aquatic, which I found to be very attractive, and I was beginning to enjoy this cologne a whole lot. The calone note isn’t too heavy here, just adding a light impression of being aquatic.

That said, it is a very linear experience, after 10 minutes you know exactly what you’re getting. There isn’t any real complexity, just clean/aquatic/citrus with ginger undertones.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Element isn’t great. It is on the softer side of moderate and doesn’t seem to want to make its presence all that known.

Longevity is also another issue. It quickly becomes a skin scent and only lasts around 4 hours, which is disappointing. I know not to expect too much from this sort of light, watery, and warm weather fragrance…but something more would’ve been fantastic.

I feel like this could’ve been a really nice spring/summer casual wear, had it been designed with better performance. It would be safe to wear to work, but it’s not a formal sort of fragrance at all. Though, outdoors or out around town during the day and it’d be cool.

Overall Impressions of Hugo Element

Overall, is Hugo Element a buy? I can’t say yes. I actually like the fragrance itself, it works, and has great citrus notes. With a little added intensity, this would’ve been a nice scent to wear around during the summer.

The citrus is really nice, I love ginger, and it is a refreshing wear. It had some positive aspects in place, it just needed a way to bring it all together better.

I’m sure you could double the application and get a longer lasting use out of it; but why bother with better performing scents out there.

Coco Mademoiselle EDP vs. EDT

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Chanel has had a lot of success with the Coco Mademoiselle line of fragrances. The EDP and EDT have been out for decades now, but, I recently picked up samples of the latest batches and wanted to do a head to head comparison post for the site. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy here in 2021?

Tale of the Tape: Coco Mademoiselle EDP vs. EDT

Coco Mademoiselle

Notes include: orange, neroli, may rose, patchouli, vetiver, jasmine

Click here to try: Coco Mademoiselle

Read my full review: Coco Mademoiselle EDP

Coco Mademoiselle EDT

Notes include: litchi, citrus, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, musk, rose, jasmine

Click here to try: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle 3.4 oz eau de toilette 

Read my Full Review: Coco Mademoiselle EDT

Opening

Mademoiselle starts off with its blend of neroli, patchouli, and orange. The orange is very powerful at first, before this perfume starts to feature its other floral notes, being jasmine and a slight rose. It blends with the patchouli for a bold and somewhat gourmand opening act.

Mademoiselle EDT does somewhat mimic its predecessor. However, the neroli isn’t present. The patchouli and orange are toned down. Also, EDT adds a very nice litchi note, that gets balanced with the other citrus notes.

Which is better? It’s actually a close race. While I do appreciate the balance, litchi, and having less patchouli in the opening act. I actually still slightly prefer the start of the EDP version more. I’m one who has always appreciated that strong punch of fragrance to start things off.

Edge: EDP

Projection

The eau de parfum obviously has the higher fragrance concentrate and it does indeed project better and feels stronger overall. Add to that more of the orange note and patchouli and you get a strong perfume. Not an absolute monster, but very good.

Mademoiselle EDT is decent at how far it will project, but it is much more of a moderate fragrance. It never hits close to the same highs as the EDP.

Edge: EDP

Longevity

Coco Mademoiselle EDP will last on my skin for over 10 hours, without fail. It’s got fantastic performance, to this day, with the newer batches Chanel has put out.

EDT? It’s a solid performer with 6-8 hours of wear, depending on the day. Quite usable, but again, doesn’t touch the original.

Edge: EDP

Versatility

I actually think that EDT has the edge in this category. It’s lighter feeling is a plus for many people who wear it, who may have been turned off by the strength of the original. So, it is going to be better for situation where you’d want to be low key.

Add to that, while neither is a summertime fragrance, EDT does hold up a bit better than the heavier EDP. Outside of those differences, both of these perfumes are highly versatile.

Edge: EDT

Overall Scent

I really enjoy both of these scents. I think that Coco Mademoiselle EDT can be a fantastic choice, if you want something lighter and that can seem less harsh to some folks. The scent really develops a nice woody/musky base with a smoother overall finish and light vanilla touches.

It’s a really good fragrance overall.

However, I think EDP is a great fragrance. I love the intensity of the orange and neroli, the gourmand touches, the power, and the vanilla creaminess that is more noticeable in this formulation.

In its totality, I just think that Coco Mademoiselle EDP has more strengths and a bit more depth. It’s not far and away better, but has a clear edge, in my book.

Winner: Coco Mademoiselle EDP

Coco Mademoiselle EDT by Chanel

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Coco Mademoiselle is a classic scent and has rightly spawned different variations of its popular formula. One of which, was brought out relatively soon after the eau de parfum’s release, Coco Mademoiselle EDT.

I got a hold of samples of each of these fragrances and have been reviewing them on the site. Today, I’m finishing things off with the eau de toilette. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Coco Mademoiselle EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: litchi, citrus, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, musk, rose, jasmine

Click here to try: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle 3.4 oz eau de toilette 

My Full Review

Coco Mademoiselle EDT opens up quite a bit like the EDP version, though definitely smoother and not nearly as intense. What’s most noticeable, is how the orange note shares duties here with other citrus notes, and an additional litchi.

Another thing that I notice here, is that, the patchouli note isn’t as dominant in this version of the Mademoiselle line. It’s there, but I feel it to be more balanced with the vetiver sitting in the base of the scent.

What’s interesting is that the base of Mademoiselle EDT, is very similar to the Chanel men’s cologne, Allure Edition Blanche. The creamy vanilla, woods, and vetiver is a dead ringer. That fragrance is dominated by lemon, rather than litchi and a more general blend of citrus.

What’s true about both of those fragrances, is that they both have a weaker ability to project than the flanker fragrances that they spawn from (more so in Edition Blanche’s case).

Once the citrus notes have burned off and the litchi seems weaker, the floral notes really come through strong. Jasmine and rose are fairly even, but I get more jasmine, on my skin. Those two with wood, musk, vetiver, patchouli, and the vanilla note that develops further along.

The final dry down is a woody vetiver scent with a less creamy aroma, that sort of starts to have a bit of a powdery feel. Not too much, but noticeable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of the EDT is much softer than both the EDP or the Intense version of Coco Mademoiselle. Overall, its pretty moderate and never has a far reaching projection. EDT will create a nice scent bubble for most of the wear, then, become a skin scent for a few more hours.

Longevity wise, this one will stick around for about 7 hours. Sometimes it will go for six, then other, it can be somewhat closer to eight.

With that being said, you do get a super versatile fragrance, that can be a signature/daily wear for many folks. It’s not too out of place in any season, though, I might avoid the hottest days of summer…if you’re going to be outside.

Mademoiselle EDT is safe for school, work, casual, and could even venture into the evening. It’s not particularly ‘sexy’, but it is attractive enough to catch some attention. It’s versatility is probably the greatest strength of this perfume.

Overall Impression of Coco Mademoiselle EDT

Overall, do I like Coco Mademoiselle EDT? I do. However, I don’t like it as much as the EDP version, in terms of smell. The weighting of the individual notes in the EDP is just better to me. Though, this can be much more wearable.

I actually like the start of this a lot. The litchi and citrus notes provide a nice entry into the fragrance and I enjoy the similarities at times, to the men’s Edition Blanche.

The performance is overall pretty good, but it isn’t a terribly strong perfume. Also, the longevity doesn’t go as far as you’d perhaps like it to.

That being said, if the EDP is too much for you, and you don’t like the strong patchouli note found in Mademoiselle Intense, this EDT version can be a great substitute. You’re giving up a some of the power and performance, but getting a more understated fragrance, that still smells great.

5 Best Smelling Tea Scented Perfumes

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Tea isn’t used as a note in a ton of fragrances. Also, out of those, it generally isn’t the main attraction, and will usually be placed in a secondary role.  However, it is a note that can be a great change of pace when done well, and can definitely carry the show. In this post, I want to present five perfumes that feature a prominent tea note. Whether that’s: black, green, or white variations. 

What are the Best Perfumes that Smell Like Tea?

An Option for White Tea

Elizabeth Arden White Tea Eau De Toilette Spray, 1 oz.– Elizabeth Arden has released plenty of fragrance options with tea as the main note for years now. You could also go with the popular Green Tea, but I’ll give this one the nod, as this one goes with the more unique white tea. 

Arden’s Green Tea was a lighter and fresher sort of scent. Meanwhile, White Tea utilizes some light aquatic notes, powdery iris, citrus, and amber in the base. 

White Tea is smooth, relaxing, and a well blended perfume with depth and plenty of strength to be noticeable. Very versatile and solidly performing perfume option that strongly features the ingredient we’re after.

Crisp and Cool Green Tea Fragrance

Creed Silver Mountain Water, 3.3 Fl Oz– Silver Mountain Water is usually marketed as a men’s scent, but it’s actually quite unisex. While it’s not my favorite fragrance from Creed, it does indeed feature a tea note that is absolutely worthwhile to try out. 

Silver Mountain Water is completely cool and crisp from the start. The citrus, black currant, and green tea notes combine to present a refreshing aroma at the top. Then, the tea will begin to take over, joined by base notes that give Silver more of a greenish/herbal kind of smell.

Not too heavy of a fragrance, but it does project well, and will usually last for around 8 hours on my skin. On the higher end, in terms of price, though one that can be a signature scent for the right person. Silver Mountain Water Review

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Creamy Smooth and Herbal

Diptyque Eau Duelle Eau De Parfum– Eau Duelle goes much more in the herbal direction with its tea fragrance, than the others here on the list. While the other scents tend to be cool and fresh, this scent goes in a warmer and smoother route.

It has its moments of spice, plenty of vanilla, and its tea note that is present throughout. Not too sweet, but creamy, woody, and paired with a slightly salty amber note. The spiciness kicks things off, before it mellows out further into the wear.

Then, it finishes herbal and woody, with a light smokiness and that remaining vanilla giving it a creamy touch. The vanilla is nice and rich. Very interesting with a multi-faceted presentation and nice performance.

 

 

Energetic Citrus and Tea

Moschino Funny By Moschino For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz- Moschino’s Funny opens up somewhat like Light Blue by D&G or the brand’s other fragrance, I Love Love. Though, the citrus is different However, it also has a green tea note that gives the fresh citrus perfume, an awesome infusion.

Green Tea, floral notes, and a musky base come through an give funny a fizzy and upbeat smell that is absolutely great in the spring and summer months. Does open up pretty sharp with currant and bitter orange leading things off.

The price is affordable and the performance is really good for this style of perfume. Moschino Funny is an uplifting fragrance for those wanting a nice use of tea.

Black Tea Amber

L’OMBRE DES MERVEILLES by Hermes, EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 3.3 OZ– The Merveilles fragrances by Hermes are generally underrated in my opinion. The each bring something to the table and L’Ombre des Merveilles presents an awesome option for tea lovers.

The amber note that is found in this line of scents, is of course present throughout. However, this one goes woody and the black tea note is paired with incense to create a crisp and faintly smoky overlay of that amber base.

It dries down with a sweetness of amber/tonka bean, but never feels like a warm or enveloping fragrance. Instead, this one stays rather cool and light. The black tea note isn’t super heavy, but it is there for the duration.

Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée by Chanel

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Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée was brought out by the design house in 2020, as a night scent interpretation of the original Coco Mademoiselle. I grabbed a sample of this a while back and wanted to give it a try to see what it’s all about. How does it smell? Is it worth a buy?

What does Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, jasmine, mandarin orange, musk

Click here to try: CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE L’EAU PRIVÉE Eau Pour la Nuit Spray 1,70z

My Full Review

Here’s how Chanel describes this scent: A delicate, sensual interpretation of COCO MADEMOISELLE designed to be worn at night.

L’eau Privée opens up with the bright and juicy orange note that is found in the original Coco Mademoiselle. The neroli note is noticeably absent, but it does seem like there is still a bit of the patchouli note lingering around.

Obviously, this one isn’t anywhere close to being as bold or intense as the others in this line of fragrance. However, I really like the way that it smells. I’ve always been a fan of Mademoiselle and this gives you a lighter interpretation, where the orange really gets to shine.

It’s fresh and not as sharp, which is great, since it’s made to be sprayed before bed. The rose and jasmine are there, more of the jasmine to my nose, but neither ever really comes to dominate. For me, the mandarin orange and the musk notes are the stars of the show.

Not too much development, the orange fades, and it becomes more of a musky floral blend.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

At it’s peak, the sillage is pretty moderate. Weaker than the others in the series, so, don’t expect a huge projection. The thing is, that peak is short-lived. After that, L’eau Privée is a light fragrance that’s going to stick close to the body.

The longevity, is about 4 hours on me. Those last two hours, it’s basically a complete skin scent. Again, that’s what this one is designed to do. The performance isn’t going to be the selling point for anyone looking to purchase this fragrance.

The versatility is basically limited to a few hours before bed or anytime, you want a quick spray to freshen up for a short period of time. If you buy this, you’re not going to be wearing it out to the club or the office or wherever.

I mean, you can wear it to these places and you’ll smell great. But, a few hours later…it’ll be all but gone.

My Overall Impressions

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I love the formulation of this Coco Mademoiselle. L’eau Privée smells really great, upon the first spray. The mandarin orange really gets time to shine and you get plenty of that original DNA here.

If this were a longer lasting flanker, it’d be pretty damn amazing. As it is, only a limited number of people are going to want a bottle.

Something to wear to bed? Okay, fine. You’re still paying Chanel prices for the opportunity to do so. If that sounds like what you’re in the market for, it does smell wonderful. If you’re not, then, really go with one of the other Coco Mademoiselle options.