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!

Eau de Lacoste L.12.12. White

by

This is my second review of Lacoste’s L.12.12 cologne series. I already covered Rouge and my thoughts on it: here. This time around, I am covering Eau de Lacoste Blanc (White), and testing out this floral/woody cologne for men. As usual, I am going to overview how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not this casual fragrance is worth a buy.

What does Lacoste Blanc Perfume for Men Smell Like?

lacoste l.12.12 white

Notes include: cardamom, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, cedar, rosemary, suede, tuberose, leather

Click here to try: Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc Eau de Toilette for Men, 3.3 fl. oz.

My Full Review

With the opening of Lacoste Blanc, I am immediately reminded of daytime in the spring. It’s a very clean floral and woody opening, with the main note of grapefruit taking charge.

I detect the cedar note but it seems to be smoothed out and tempered by the suede/leather combo, which is surprisingly quite mild. This fragrance definitely starts out with a bang, as it both projects well and also brings a lot of energy. Blanc is very upbeat and bright.

The is a slight herbal spice to this, light rosemary, and some cardamom. However, it never makes all that much of an appearance for me. Cedar and leather? Yes, the others? Not so much.

The floral notes aren’t really the ‘girly’ kind of scent, more earthy, and get hidden some by the citrus of the grapefruit. The interplay between these two is quite nice. It’s tuberose, which is hardly ever used in a men’s fragrance, and ylang-ylang.

There is also a layer of sweetness in this cologne that doesn’t take over but lends itself well. It feels like everything about this fragrance is just blended the right way. The grapefruit is mainly responsible for it, especially when it gets paired together with the ylang-ylang note.

What I’m ultimately left with a very wonderful blend of citrus and cedar. It’s fresh and uplifting. Though, this does go in more of a unique direction, with those floral notes. It comes together as being super clean and a delight to have on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this one starts out fairly strong, but begins to weaken pretty quickly. It does transform more into a floral/woodsy cologne during the dry down period but that is again, brief.

The longevity on this one really isn’t all that great, it’s better than L.12.12. Rouge, but still taps out to the 4-6 hour range and more towards the low end.

This is a warm weather fragrance that is great for office, casual, or even some dating type environments. It’s appropriate for any age group, but has more of a youthful sort of vibe.

I wouldn’t be wearing this during the winter or autumn, but it is great when the weather starts to improve.

Overall Impression of L.12.12 White

Overall, I think that L.12.12. White is a very good cologne and an interesting floral based scent for men. I do prefer it, to the Red version from Lacoste (which I also like), and think that it can be a really good casual choice for guys.

I wish the longevity was a little bit better but aside from that Blanc is a quality cologne that is fresh, clean, and energetic. Coming back to this scent, years after my initial review, I can say that this is the best of the L.12.12 lineup, from my perspective.

Blanc is the only one that truly delivers a great smell and has at least decent performance. This line from Lacoste, really had plenty of mediocre and unmemorable scents.

This is a bright spot. Smells quite good, average performance, and a good pick up if you can get it cheap.

6 Best Smelling Adidas Colognes for Men

by

Adidas has had a long and prosperous run as an athletic apparel company. However, it has also been in the fragrance game to one extent or another for decades, as well.

In fact, some Adidas fragrances were among the first colognes that I wore on a regular basis as a teenager. They are also extremely inexpensive and full bottles can be had at under $20 and even for less than $10.

Obviously, this makes it a good route for younger guys to try out without having to break the bank. In this post, I have selected six from the Adidas line that I feel are the best of the bunch, and have linked each to its Amazon page for more info.

What are the Best Adidas Colognes for Men?

Best Smelling Cologne

Adidas Dare Eau-De-Toilette Natural Spray by Adidas, 1 Fluid Ounce– A sneaky good blend of lime and apple at the start with a undertone of vanilla.

Then, a smooth rum note kicks in and is paired with leather to create something that is unique while still being inexpensive. Really good fragrance.

Like most inexpensive fragrances, Adidas Dare isn’t all that complicated, but this never smells ‘cheap’. Is it a luxury scent? No. However, the apple and citrus pairing is great. Plus, a undercurrent of rum, vanilla, and leather? I’m sold.

Most Popular Adidas

Adidas Victory League Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Sweet and slightly spicy. It reminds me a bit of Ultra Male and Boss Bottled and Tommy Hilfiger, like a blend of those three.

So, an apple/pear blend with vanilla and a cinnamon kick. It’s another good casual option from Adidas. Somewhat related to Adidas Dare, though, Victory League isn’t as much about the fruit. Vanilla has much more strength in this one, than in the other Adidas scent.

If you want a cheapie, along the lines of the aforementioned designer scents, Victory League is a very solid pickup.

Underrated Scent

Adidas Deep Energy by Adidas For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4-Ounces– Was one of the Adidas fragrances that I received in a 3 bottle gift pack, many years ago. It’s an athletic or sporty kind of aquatic citrus. It works well in the summer months and I used this as a gym cologne for a long stretch of time.

Updating here in 2020, this has been discontinued, and I haven’t seen any cheap bottles floating around. What’s funny is, The One Sport by D&G, smells very similar to Deep Energy. I wouldn’t pay more than $20 for either, but this did front run the designer cologne by a decade. Deep Energy Full Review

Classic Sporty Scent

Adidas Moves By Adidas For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.0 Oz / 30 Ml– The first Adidas cologne that I ever had, back in high school. It’s definitely geared toward younger guys. It’s a very fresh and clean scent but I was never really sure what the specific notes were.

Turns out it features tomato leaf, pepper, pineapple, and apple among others. I think I wore this for most of 9th and 10th grade, so it brings back some memories.

The juice inside is blue and it does have a ‘blue-ish’ vibe, to the aroma. Sort of aquatic, but that is due to the crisp fruity notes involved. Tomato leaf, is a severely underrated note, and somehow Adidas Moves is one of the few colognes to use it.  Adidas Moves Full Review

Simple and Clean Fresh

Adidas Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, Pure Game, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– A citrus and woody cologne that is pretty linear, but surprisingly good in it simplicity. The basil note gives it a bit of spice along with that familiar oud aroma.

Pure Game does have a very nice blend of citrus and spice notes. Basil and pepper, that gets smoothed out by the woody base. Hints of sandalwood and cypress, with a vague smoky quality. Yes, it’s simple and linear, but it does have some depth to its personality. This is a really good buy, for this cheap price point.

Warm Sweetness

Adidas Extreme Power Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– A sweet tonka bean laden scent with opening citrus notes and a great warmth throughout. There is also a coffee note that I think goes really well with the tonka bean and they are two of my favorite notes in men’s fragrances.

At this price point, Extreme Power is a great buy, but you’ll need to use more sprays for longevity’s sake. This does have similarities to Pure Game, but the notes are kind of flipped, with the strength. This is less woody and spicy, more sweet and warm.

7 Best Smelling Estee Lauder Perfumes

by

Estee Lauder is an absolutely authoritative name in the world of beauty and cosmetics. The company’s products have been around for decades and still appeal to women from each successive generation.

For this list, I have selected seven  of the scents from its line of perfumes, which I feel are the best of the best. I have updated this post to include a new entry, take off an older one that got too reformulated, and expand a bit on each scent.

What are the Best Smelling Estee Lauder Perfumes?

Classic Peony and Rose

Pleasures By Estee Lauder For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces -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. Those are just the two main floral aromas, found in the heart, but it really is an array of differing petals.

This is a great 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.  Notes include: roses, violets, lilies, woody notes, peonies.

Best Seller

Beautiful Belle by Estee lauder eau de parfum spray 3.4oz/100ml, 3.4 Fl Oz– Beautiful Belle is a very nice floral fragrance with a juicy lychee note up top. This has become one of the best sellers for Estee Lauder over the past few years.

It’s not your typical bouquet or greenish floral mix, as there is a smooth suede and sweet gourmand note of marzipan in the base.

Beautiful Belle is a lighter fragrance and the floral notes are dominated by gardenia and tuberose. Rose, orange flower and mimosa play a supporting role. This is an easy to wear fragrance with nice performance and can venture out into spring and the milder days of summer.

One Tropical Option

Beyond Paradise By Estee Lauder For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 1.7 Ounces–  Beyond Paradise is a bright and youthful floral fragrance that is best worn on warmer days. It is more of a tropical floral fragrance with citrus and berry to balance things out and create a deeper exotic feeling.

White floral notes with some fruity influence throughout and a bit of underlying spice. As it moves along, the flowers such as lily, honeysuckle, and gardenia dominate and the fruits fade to the background.

Hyacinth eventually comes to stand above the rest, but really hangs around for the entirety of the life of the perfume. It initially, gets placed in the opening with a bunch of citrus notes. Nonetheless, the is a group effort among the floral notes, and the result is great.

Best Summertime Fragrance

Estee Lauder ‘Bronze Goddess’ Eau Fraîche SkinScent 3.4 Oz / 100 ml New In Box– Bronze Goddess is one that has been around for a while and occasionally gets reformulated. Nonetheless, the perfume gives you a beachy and somewhat tropical vibe during the wear.

Up top, you have citrus note and a light ginger note giving it spice. Underneath that is coconut and vanilla, that provides the creamy and somewhat lotion-like vibe. Jasmine and frangipani petals make up the floral heart of the scent and complement that summertime feel.

The link above is the Eau Fraiche version. It’s got more of the floral notes being dominant and is a lighter scent. The EDP is creamier with the heavier use of coconut and vanilla.

Top Winter Scent

Sensuous by Estee Lauder for Women – 3.4 Ounce EDP Spray–As its name suggests, Sensuous is sexier and more alluring perfume than the previous two entries. It is still not a heavy scent, but one that is really intriguing to experience with its notes of amber, black pepper, sandalwood, magnolia, and ghost lily.

The sandalwood note dominates and is joined by other wood notes in the base. This is then brought together with enveloping amber and thick, sweet honey. Add to that a peppery spice in its heart and floral undertones, and you’ve got a well-balanced gem.

Jasmine Led, Floral Dominant

ESTEE LAUDER Modern Muse Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Modern Muse opens up with jasmine and a light mandarin orange note. This is a floral fragrance and the jasmine is the main ingredient, but which flower accompanies it, changes throughout the wear.

Sometimes, it is tuberose, others honeysuckle, and lily. Musk and amber sit gently at the base and create a warm embrace of the flowery aroma. Ultimately, the lily and jasmine win out as the final two floral notes. With musk and patchouli, also hanging around in a diminished state.

It is moderate in its sillage, with bits of vanilla or patchouli peaking through, and a pleasing scent that is good to wear on a daily basis. Good springtime wear, but versatile for most of the rest of the year. White floral with light musk, for the most part. Modern Muse Review

Mature Woodsy Floral

Knowing By Estee Lauder For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 oz– This one has more of a woodsy profile to it but still brings in the floral notes like jasmine, rose, and sandalwood. Up top? It’s mimosa, in spades. Has an intensity that is best suited for the colder months. This one has been around forever, a mature scent.

Lots of oakmoss, leather, and other seemingly dark feeling notes. Yet, Knowing comes through with enough sweetness to avoid becoming too dour and a wonderful rosy heart. It’s ultimately very deep complex, but you get a very clean and sophisticated, classic scent.

Gabrielle EDP by Chanel

by

Gabrielle is one of Chanel’s more recent line of women’s fragrances. Thus far, they’ve only released two under this banner, but it may expand further if the sales are worthwhile. Gabrielle is a white floral perfume, named after the founder of the brand. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is this perfume worth a buy?

What does Gabrielle Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, tuberose, musk, citrus, pear

Click here to try: Chanel Gabrielle For Women Eau De Parfume Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Review

The opening of this fragrance was kind of difficult to distinguish the first time I tried it out. It felt like a mass of notes, floral and fruity, but just clumped together. However, the next time I tested this one, I liked Gabrielle much more.

It’s a sparkling blend of citrus notes, with a nice amount of the orange blossom and ylang-ylang up front. Grapefruit, some pear, orange, and a little pink pepper spice.

Even with giving this Chanel another try, I still think that the opening act is definitely the weakest point of this fragrance. I’m not even a huge floral fan, but when those notes take over, this is a much better wear.

Luckily, that doesn’t take to long. The other two floral notes come in about 30 minutes in (jasmine and tuberose). It’s a floral bouquet that isn’t very green at all. More about the white petals, than the stems, and it has a sweet and bright undercurrent throughout.

Gabrielle is one that I’d recommend trying at least a few times to see if you like it. There is plenty of depth here, that can take time to reveal themselves fully. Mostly, it’s a very lovely white floral fragrance, with just a touch of earthiness at different intervals.

The final dry down, I mostly get jasmine and the tuberose, and they’re sitting on top of musk. The fruity notes are all but gone and it smells like a very clean floral perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Gabrielle is a moderate fragrance. It’s decent at projecting during the first few hours of wear, then, it will stick closer to the skin. I will say, that it isn’t a super performer. For me, it was pretty good, but not one that’s going to amaze.

The longevity is in the 7-7.5 hour range, on my skin. Again, for much of the wear it isn’t going to radiate very much from wear you sprayed. It does stick around, though.

Seasonally, I’d say that it’s absolutely the best in spring. Summer and autumn work too, but that springtime bouquet effect is great.

Gabrielle EDP is a versatile daily wear. It isn’t super formal and can actually serve better as a casual or semi-formal scent. It’s pretty, not really sexy, and not a club beast. But, you really wouldn’t ever offend anyone while wearing this.

Overall Impressions of Gabrielle by Chanel

Do I like this fragrance? I do. It actually grew on me, the more time that I spent with it. I still think that opening is kind of messy, but the end result is pretty darn good.

Is it a must have? Probably not. I don’t think that the performance is all that great. The fragrance itself smells quite nice, so, it isn’t a terrible or useless release from Chanel.

It does some things very well, but isn’t elite or super captivating. At the very least, it is worth a shot to see if you personally enjoy it, but it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Black Opium Intense by YSL

by

Black Opium Intense is yet another flanker from the Black Opium line released by Saint Laurent in 2019. An intense version of the popular fragrance was intriguing to me, so, I grabbed some to test it out for review. What does it smell like? How long does it last? Is it a better version of Black Opium?

What does Black Opium Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: coffee, licorice absolute, vanilla, blue absinthe essence

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes this fragrance: The sensuality of coffee is surrounded by the aura of the magnetizing note of blue absinthe. The thrill of a mysterious and daring addiction electrifies the new Black Opium Eau de Parfum Intense.

The original Black Opium EDP is a pretty powerful perfume, on my skin. As such, I was expecting Intense to be an absolute bomb, but it isn’t.

It is a pretty different fragrance from the others, but I was looking forward to a powerhouse. It opens up with a blend of the blue absinthe and licorice accord. It is an interesting pairing because the anise found in absinthe can often come across like licorice, in terms of smell.

That’s the top of the scent, with the usual coffee fragrance coming underneath. It isn’t a ‘boozy’ smell, if you’re thinking of the usual mixed drink style of perfumes. Just a smooth, slightly sweet, coffee aroma with a hint of vanilla.

The next phase, there does seem to be the jasmine floral note coming through. I know, that and orange blossom have been heavily featured in this series, but I don’t get any orange blossom in this one.

As it dries down, Black Opium Intense does get a bit powdery for a while. It isn’t a super baby powder experience or anything, but you do get a sensation of powder. It’s mostly about the coffee, licorice, slight vanilla, and jasmine. Most of the absinthe, has gone out the window.

That’s about what I get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is pretty moderate at its peak. That’s about up until the one hour mark and then it is pretty much a skin scent. Don’t expect a heavy projection bomb, this ain’t it. Not nearly as strong as the original.

The longevity is actually pretty good though, as a skin scent. It sticks around for 7-8 hours of wear. It’d be a lot better with some power behind it, but it didn’t just disappear entirely.

Seasonally, this is another autumn and winter wear. If it were stronger, I’d say it’d mostly be for the nightlife. But, as is, you’re not really going to choke out a room and can probably get away with wearing it in a variety of daytime situations.

To me, it’s not what I would consider a sexy smell. It’s all just fine, never really wowing me.

Overall Impressions of Black Opium Intense

Do I like this perfume? I mean, I don’t hate it. I think it is better than Nuit Blanche (maybe?), but worse than both Black Opium and Neon.

The absinthe and licorice pairing is interesting, just not incredible. The strength of the scent is a major miss for me. Although, a heavy licorice note tends to give me a headache.

There really just isn’t much here to praise, it’s mostly just saying to yourself, ‘well, that’s pretty good, I guess’. Licorice, coffee, absinthe, some vanilla/jasmine, and a slight powdery feel at times. If that’s enough for you, go ahead and give this YSL scent a try.