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!

Light Blue by D&G vs Moschino Love Love Perfume Comparison

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With Light Blue’s massive popularity in the perfume space, it was only natural for people to start looking for similar scents. One option that has emerged is Cheap & Chic I Love Love by Moschino, which delivers a similar smell, at a lower price point. However, which fragrance is actually better? Which has the better performance? Smell? Which should you buy?

Tale of the Tape

Light Blue

Notes include: rose, apple, musk, lemon, jasmine, and more

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue By Dolce & Gabbana For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz

Read my original review: D&G Light Blue Review

I Love Love

Notes include: orange, lemon, grapefruit, redcurrant, rush, lily of the valley, tea rose, cinnamon leaves, tanaka wood, musk, cedar

Click here to try: I Love Love Cheap and Chic by Moschino for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray 

Read my original review: I Love Love

Opening

Light Blue opens up with a sharp lemon note, blended with a crisp apple. It is juicy and has a somewhat aquatic feeling to it. The rose note is lighter in the opening act, but it presents itself, and is noticeable to the overall composition.

I Love Love starts off with a juicy and upbeat citrus mix. At first the orange, is the strongest of the lot, followed by the lemon, and grapefruit. There is also a bit of redcurrant and a sugary pinch, to give this perfume some sweetness.

Which one is better? I actually prefer the Cheap and Chic beginning to the D&G’s. The citrus is more balanced, lighter, and has a sweeter finish to it.

Edge: I Love Love

Projection

Neither of these perfumes has a monster sillage. They will project themselves moderately away from the skin, but nothing that is going to overwhelm a room.

The scent trail will be noticeable and the peak strength of each will last for a few hours at least. I think Light Blue sticks to that higher level for a longer period of time and that may be where an advantage comes in.

To me, there was no real difference between them in this aspect, other than the time each spent there.

Edge: Push

Longevity

I Love Love has pretty good longevity on my skin. It lasts in the 6-8 hour range, pretty consistently. The longevity was never great with this Moschino perfume. Though, for the price, I think you generally get a good deal out of it.

Light Blue, on the other hand, would go for 10 hours. The Dolce is the better performer. It’s always been a really good performing mainstream designer fragrance. Nothing spectacular, but it gets through the workday easily.

Edge: Light Blue

Versatility

Since these two perfumes are pretty much the same type of fragrance, there really isn’t any difference in when they can be worn. Daily wears, that are suited for warmer weather. Good casual scent to semi-formal.

Neither is formal or a nightclub type of wear. Mass appealing fragrances that can find a spot in almost anyone’s rotation and get plenty of use in the process.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I like Light Blue. The opening of the lemon, rose, and apple is quite good and is attractive. The performance is definitely better than the Moschino, and it has more depth. The floral notes and the cedar, have a greater presence, and more nuance.

However, I’m not that much of a fan, of its latter stages. The cedar and floral notes, give it an earthy sort of freshness, that is paired with the lemon. I enjoy the citrus, but not so much the other stuff.

I do think it’s one of the better D&G fragrances for women, though. Not the best, but very useful to have on hand in your collection.

I Love Love is pretty straightforward. The citrus is light and beautiful. This is a very happy and bright scent. It doesn’t have the rose note, nor the apple, and the cedar is toned way down.

To me, that’s a plus. There is a light cinnamon and musk, but this perfume really keeps it simple.

The more I compare the two, the more I’d rather smell the Moschino. Plus, I Love Love is usually available for much cheaper. With all things considered, it’s my pick.

Winner: I Love Love

Boss Bottled EDT (No. 6) by Hugo Boss

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In this latest installment of this site’s series of ratings and reviews of men’s fragrances, I want to take a closer look at Boss Bottled EDT (aka No. 6) by Hugo Boss. It was released in 1998. I have already created a list of the top Hugo Boss colognes but I wanted to zoom in a bit and focus on this one individual fragrance from the line.

So, continue below to get my full take on this scent and whether or not it is worth a buy. Note: I have updated this review, 4 years after the original, to expand further on No. 6.

What does Boss Bottled EDT (No. 6) Smell Like?

Notes include: apple, cinnamon, vanilla, woods, plum, sandalwood

Click here to try: Boss No. 6 by Hugo Boss for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray

Full Review

My first impression of Number 6 is that it is a really clean fragrance. Note: It just gets called Boss Bottled EDT, nowadays. I could right away see how this could work as an everyday wear and something that people around you would respond positively towards.

The apple note is most noticeable to me, and the way it blends with the cinnamon, sort of reminds me of the flavoring in Apple Cinnamon Toaster Strudels. Not like the apple note in something such as Tommy Hilfiger.

Up top, the apple gets paired with a somewhat tart plum. Though, I’d still lean toward calling the entire composition sweet, at this point.

The first part of the wear, is more of a fruity cologne, with underlying spices. It will then shift, towards being less dominated by these notes.

As we move further along, the vanilla and wood notes, really start to come through. Sandalwood, cedar, and other woods begin to rise of from the base. The vanilla, which was always present, takes over for much of the plum and apple.

The vanilla note does give it that smooth sweetness, which I tend to like, but I don’t feel as if Boss Bottled goes too far into the ‘sweet’ category (during the dry down).

This is because the sandalwood and cedar notes especially, give it a woodsy base, that seems to keep it masculine and intriguing.

Finally, what I’m left with is a woody vanilla fragrance with strong whiffs of apple and cinnamon. It is creamy, fresh, and still sweet.

While this has been replicated by others recently, Boss Bottled, for sure had plenty of uniqueness when released in the 90s.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t a projection beast but it isn’t totally subdued either. There are many other options for guys who want a loud fragrance, Number 6 however, is soft to moderate in its scent but still quite sensual.

For the first hour, it will create a nice radius of scent around my skin, and then draws closer.

Longevity wise, I’d say it’s on the lower end of moderate…4-6 hours of decent projection, which was quite disappointing. That’s not absolutely terrible, but if you’re paying full price per bottle, it can be.

Boss Bottled is a rather versatile scent. Climate wise, it can fit in most situations, except for extreme heat and humidity.

Honestly, it’s not the worst at that, just not great in the summer months either. The rest of the year, and especially temperate climates, it works very well.

Outside of the seasonal aspect, this Hugo Boss scent is very versatile. It can work for younger men, but isn’t limited to that set. Not that this is the most mature perfume, but, older guys could certainly wear this.

I’ve worn this casually, semi-formally, and to an office setting. No issues with any of that. Is it attractive? Yes, the masculine sweetness will garner complements, and can be used for dates.

Bottled No. 6 isn’t really a club scent, in the sense that, you want a projection beast. If you want subtlety, sure.

Overall Impression of Boss Bottled No. 6

Overall, I think that Boss Bottled is a very good cologne. It is pleasant, versatile, sexy, and seems to work well in temperatures outside of the brutal summer.

Is it a buy? I’d lean towards yes. While it smells great, it doesn’t necessarily perform as well as other potential colognes.

However, it isn’t terribly expensive either, and I could definitely see a guy getting use out of it.

Though, nowadays, I might just pick up a bottle of Ferrari Black which is a cheaper version of this scent pretty much. Since this isn’t an amazing performer, you should consider getting something close to this smell, for a whole lot less money.

I still like this one and it hasn’t completely lost a step. But, it did come out 25 years ago, and a lot has been done that is better than Bottled EDT. At a discount, I might still pick this up versus all of the imitators that have tried to mimic this Hugo Boss.

Intimately Beckham by David Beckham

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I have already reviewed a few fragrances from the David Beckham line of men’s colognes (The Essence and Instinct) and thought that I’d tackle another one of the popular scents, Intimately Beckham. I want to take a closer look to answer some questions as to its particular scent and performance during wear. This is another really affordable everyday cologne but is it worth a purchase?

What does Intimately Beckham Smell Like?

intimately-beckham-men-edt-50ml-30003492-0-1321522359000

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

My Full Review

Intimately Beckham is a bit of a change up from the two scents that I previously reviewed. It is a play between sweet and spicy but not in a heavy way, it is more of a refreshing spice and not overwhelming.

The opening is fairly woodsy/earthy from the violet, sandalwood, cardamom, and of course the nutmeg note which highlights this cologne’s start. I’m honestly not too big of a fan of the opening 10-15 minutes of this fragrance, it’s kind of weird and synthetic to me but I think that it develops pretty well from there.

There are some light citrus notes in the opening, but they don’t particularly stand out, to my nose. It’s a bit sweet, but I mostly pick up on cardamom and nutmeg, paired with those notes such as grapefruit.

When it finally does develop, I get a total late autumn to winter wear vibe from this scent. It would probably be awful to wear outside on a hot day, as it’d just become an overheated mess.

On the other hand, when used in its element, Intimately Beckham provides a warm amber and slightly powdery aroma that vaguely reminds me of a lower grade version of The One by D&G.

The sandalwood base, really begins to take hold for me, about 20 minutes in. At that point, any citrus is pretty much gone. Violet and amber emerge, the spice of anise/nutmeg/cardamom, pretty much surround these notes.

Finally, we get to what we’re left with for the remainder of the wear. Sandalwood is a major player in the latter stages. Frankly, the major player. It is soaked in a nice amber note, with a nutmeg spice.

It’s warm, fresh, with enough underlying sweetness to prevent it from going too heavy into the spiced category. It’s actually very smooth and refined, at this stage. Intimately smells much more expensive than its low price tag would otherwise indicate.

Sillage, Versatility, and How Long Does it Last?

Intimately Beckham actually projects itself better than Instinct, in my opinion. It does seem to have more strength although like Instinct, doesn’t shave the type of longevity I want out of a cologne.

I’d call the sillage moderate, for the first hour or so. Then, fairly light thereafter. On skin, it seems to go 4-5 hours. Sometimes, a little less, but usually it will hit those metrics just fine.

It’s safe and non offensive and does smell very pleasant for casual wear on the cooler days of the year. Again, avoid the heat with this one. It’s a warmer, fresh, and cozy sort of cologne. Not going to hold up well in the summer.

It is, however, quite an attractive fragrance. For younger guys, this can be an all around wear for autumn and winter. It is mature enough, to be used for dates or evenings out, as well.

Overall Impression of Intimately Beckham

Overall, this fragrance does smell good, but it isn’t a standout must have, for me anyway. For the price, it isn’t a terrible buy but it won’t set you apart much from the crowd.

It is attractive and the people around you will probably like it, while it lasts. If it were more expensive, I’d say no but at this price point, I don’t think it’s a bad buy at all.

Intimately Beckham is a good pick up for the younger set. It’s dirt cheap, but you get a very nice aroma from it. Performance isn’t great, but you can certainly re-apply or over spray, without breaking the bank. If this lasted a 6-8 hours on skin, it’d be an absolute steal. As is, it’s not a bad bargain.

Korrigan EDP by Lubin

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Months ago, I received a bunch of niche fragrance samples from some higher end and/or more obscure designers. I hadn’t tested any of them out, but looked through the lot of them the other day, to see what I had exactly. Many of the options, seem to harp on the same notes of rose, oud, and saffron…in almost the same exact compositions.

Then, I saw Korrigan by Lubin Paris, and reading the notes made me absolutely want to try this one out. I came in with no expectations, but how does this one smell? How does it perform? Is it worth a high price tag?

What does Korrigan EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: juniper berry, saffron, cognac, lavender, ambrette, whisky distillate, cedar, oud, leather, vetiver, musks

Click here to try: Lubin Paris Korrigan Eau De Parfum 100ml

My Full Review

So, I was really excited to try Korrigan out, once I saw the boozy notes that were included within the composition. Even with the rather weird description on the back of the sample card,

“In the Armorican countryside frolic the Korrigans at night. They come to harvest juniper berries and wild beechnuts. Then, in dark caves, the distill barley into spellbinding spirits, spicing them with saffron, musking them with ambrette, scenting them with lavender. During the solstice festivals, they all drink their elixirs out of leather pouches, causing bodies and souls to capsize.” The hell?

The opening of Korrigan features plenty of cognac and whisky. It is interesting that the boozy notes came through much more, when sprayed on a shirt, versus my skin. It was still apparent on my skin, but not to the same extent.

I also pick up on juniper berry and a metallic sort of saffron note. This fragrance has that warm alcoholic aroma but is super smooth and sweet.

While this fragrance doesn’t smell like anything else that I’ve come across, the juniper and lavender, do bring about thoughts of Luna Rossa Sport. It’s a familiar scent that is tucked away, in the heart of Korrigan, but all of the booze, leather, and sweet ambrette conceal it.

After the initial wave of the alcoholic notes pass, the lavender and leather really start to come through.

It’s calming and smooth. The leather is nice and rich, but there is a vanilla/nut quality that is in this fragrance. The strange description says beechnuts, but that’s not listed in the notes. I’m guessing there is some of that in their and it is mixing with the scent of the ambrette.

At this point, mostly what I get from Korrigan is leather, lavender, nuttiness, and saffron. The juniper/booze still hangs around, but the fragrance definitely shifts.

Finally, Korrigan dries down with a salty caramel note. Again, it must be the way the notes are playing off of one another, because it’s not listed. The leather and saffron surround the caramel-like smell, with a faded whiskey note gently hanging in the air.

The Lubin scent now feels much drier and woodier than it had previously, but those notes still aren’t too heavy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of this one is never all that powerful. Upon spraying, it can be loud and project itself, with its boozy warmth. However, it settles quickly, and is pretty moderate for the rest of the wear.

While it isn’t super powerful, the longevity is actually quite good, on my skin. It sticks around somewhere in the 7-9 hour range, depending on the day. Not insane, but very useful.

Seasonally, colder weather. Autumn and winter wear, all the way. Korrigan is listed as a unisex, while the start is pretty masculine, it does soften up into a true unisex fragrance. It can be worn casually, formally, or even out on a date.

Probably best for mid-20s and up. It’s a warm and cozy scent, but totally has a sexiness to it. It can be quite enthralling to experience. Not that everyone is going to love it, but it does have a unique vibe, and an intriguing one.

Overall Impressions of Korrigan EDP

Overall do I like this perfume? I really do. This one really caught my attention and had me wanting to wear it more often. Now, it wouldn’t be an everyday wear or something, that I’d always be in the mood for.

However, Korrigan is one that I would love to spray on during the winter months, and have it envelop me in a warm cloud. For a niche scent, this fragrance will enjoy a fairly wide appeal, but not a best-seller status.

I would recommend giving this a go, if the ingredients sound interesting to you. It’s really great, in my opinion.

Acqua di Gio vs Absolu Cologne Comparison

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For this entry into the men’s fragrance comparisons, I want to do one between the always popular, Acqua di Gio vs. Acqua di Gio Absolu. Absolu is one of its more recent flanker colognes, released by Giorgio Armani. However, does the newer scent, outdo the original? Or does it pale in comparison? Which smells best? Lasts longer? Is the better option?

Tale of the Tape

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

Acqua di Gio Absolu

Notes include: patchouli, marine notes, labdanum, tonka bean, wood, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, apple, pear

Click here to try: Acqua di Giò Absolu Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 fl oz Men

Read my full review here: Acqua di Gio Absolu

Opening

Acqua di Gio opens up with that now classic tangerine and bergamot pairing, to go along with a sea breeze note, and late jasmine undertones. Clean and fresh aquatic with enough energy to play off of the citrus notes.

Absolu puts together grapefruit and bergamot, as the citrus notes here. It of course has a strong marine note, but also includes apple, and a very noticeable tonka bean. All of this on top of a woody base.

Which is better? While Absolu gets credit for being more complex and interesting, I don’t think that it smells better than the original, at the start. It’s very nice, but the simplicity of AdG, has a lot of appeal.

Edge: AdG

Projection

In terms of sillage, both of the scents end up as the same kind of moderate projecting fragrance. However, for the first two hours of the wear, Absolu feels stronger to me. It’s not a big difference, but was noticeable.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

The original Acqua di Gio, seems to always give me the same consistent 6-7 hours of wear, before it evaporates. Absolu? It gets me to the 8 hour mark, which isn’t dramatically better, but is a notch above.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

These colognes obviously are going to share a lot of overlap. When they should be worn is definitely, one of those shared areas. Each is mostly a spring/summer wear, that can be worn year round, if need be. They can fit in a wide variety of situations and are attractive enough to be worn on dates, for younger guys. No real advantage here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Absolu is a nice fragrance. I like the citrus and marine notes, that mimic the original, but the addition of amber, wood, and tonka bean give it a sweeter and earthier profile. It also has slightly better performance than the original.

However, I still prefer the overall smell of Acqua di Gio versus Absolu. Yes, I’ve smelled it a million times, but it’s just a better wear for me. The blend of citrus notes and floral, sitting in an aquatic environment, is still great over 20 years later.

AdG Profumo, is actually the best of these Armani colognes, in my opinion. Second, is the original, and that’s not much better than Absolu. It is a little bit better, though. Absolu is still a solid wear and worthy of consideration, it gets compared to Invictus Aqua, but gets the nod versus that one.

Winner: Acqua di Gio