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 test out and 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!

Fougere d’Argent by Tom Ford

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I’m back again, with another Tom Ford fragrance review. I’ve got 3 or 4 more to go, in this current batch, and hopefully I can pick up some others in the collection. Anyway, today’s entry is a review of Fougere d’Argent, which isn’t a particularly well know Tom Ford cologne. It was released in 2018. What does it smell like? When should it be worn? Is it even worth a try?

What does Fougere d’Argent Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, ginger, labdanum, orange, tonka bean, akigalawood

Click here to try: Fougere D’argent by Tom Ford Eau De Parfum 1.7oz/50ml Spray New In Box 

My Full Review

Before we get into my own review of Fougere d’Argent, let’s see what Tom Ford describes it as: Impeccable. Dashing. Provocative. New and unabashedly bold, Fougere d’Argent is a legend redux that converges impeccable decorum with the modus operandi of an agent provocateur. Tom Ford’s sleight of hand redefines the classic fougere in an exquisite work of beauty. 

The opening of Fougere d’Argent gives me a clean and spicy aroma. I pick up a lot of ginger, with lavender being the second in command, with wood and light citrus bringing up the rear.

The ginger note here, is particularly intense and sharp, which I actually like a great deal. The aroma is a classic gentleman’s clean, a barbershop quality, with the rough masculine edges smoothed out by notes such as tonka bean and lavender.

After the first few minutes, the orange note seems to get stronger to my nose. I’m not sure if that’s just the case for me, but it honestly feels weak after the initial spray, and then is quite prominent.

I like its combination with the lavender and ginger spice, which does help Fougere d’Argent have a more modern edge, versus the classic fougere colognes.

As it dries down further, the ginger and orange, begin to fall off. Lavender takes ahold of the reins, along with what I guess is the akigalawood, and what definitely is tonka bean. It’s really smooth, woody, fresh, with a hint of powdery spice.

There is something that is so simple, yet so utterly appealing with a fragrance, like this. So many fougere fragrances for men, that I come across, are really dated in how they smell. Fougere d’Argent doesn’t hit my nose that way, at all.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a lighter moderate scent. It’s not going to project like crazy, but will stay in a small radius, around the wearer. Will you forget that it is on you skin, at times? Sure. However, you will also unexpectedly catch a whiff of it, randomly during the day.

While the sillage isn’t a complete monster, the longevity is actually quite good. 7-9 hours on my skin, seems to be about the norm for Fougere. Not an elite wear, but certainly nothing to scoff at either.

Seasonally, this is versatile enough to be worn, almost anytime. I’m not convinced of it, in the summer heat, but outside of that this will work great. It absolutely can be worn for any occasion, also. It does seem like a formal fragrance for some of the wear, but it isn’t stuffy, and can go casual.

It’s not really a nightlife beast, but again, it wouldn’t be out of place. You’d just not be projecting your fragrance all over the bar or club.

Fougere d’Argent will get some complements, has a pleasant appeal, but isn’t necessarily ‘sexy’ with its scent. It’s definitely appreciated and adds something different from most of the modern fare.

This is listed as a unisex fragrance, though, it really leans masculine. It’s not too heavy or anything to preclude women from wanting to wear it, but it definitely favors one side of the perfume spectrum.

Overall Impression of Fougere d’Argent

Do I like this fragrance? Yes, it I really did, much more than I thought. When I see the word fougere, I have my doubts, that it’d be my style. This one, however, got my attention and admiration.

Is it the most amazing thing out? No, but it does give you an option, if you’re looking for a very well put together modern take on a classic concept. It’s not overly complex, but smells wonderful, and is of high quality.

It’s not going to be for every man. Some will want more strength, from their colognes. Others, might find this style to be boring. For me, I think that it’s a very good fragrance, albeit at a hefty price point.

It doesn’t seem to be around at every store, that the more popular Tom Ford scents are. So, you might have to go through the online route. I don’t think it’d be a bad blind buy, it’s got a easy to like scent and the performance is good enough.

Carlisle by Parfums de Marly

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For this entry into my long running review posts, we have a cologne from Parfums de Marly, Carlisle. This one was released in 2015 and there’s been a lot of hype behind it, but is it actually any good? What are the ingredients? How does it smell? In this post, I want to break down my thoughts and experiences wearing this fragrance, and if I think this scent is a winner.

What does Carlisle Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, nutmeg, saffron, tonka bean, apple

Click here to try: Carlisle by Parfums de Marly

My Full Wear Review

Before we dive into my review, let’s see what Parfums de Marly has to say about Carlisle: This voluptuous fragrance is structured around one main accord ‘sandalwood’. Warm, sweet like a balm, it leaves a trail with of vanilla & dark patchouli. This composition takes heart in distilling a mysterious “oriental” aura, playing with its delicate accents of nutmeg, saffron, and tonka bean. It is the unexpected union between the crisp of a green apple and the softness of vanilla, yet with a rich and textured arrangement revealing itself on the skin like a captivating smile. 

The opening of Carlisle immediately brings to mind other Parfums de Marly fragrances, mainly Oajan, but this one strikes me as being better at times. Other times, I’d say they’re even. I have a full bottle of Oajan, so, that’s a nice surprise.

It opens up with that crisp green apple note, saffron, vanilla, and sandalwood. It is very warm, sweet, with a non-harsh spice; has that gourmand sort of baked goods aroma but darker. Carlisle is a rich cologne with depth and an interesting life cycle.

Saffron really sticks out to my nose here and it plays off of the other notes to create a leathery type of smell. Now, I haven’t found leather as an ingredient in any of the note listings online, so I’m assuming its just an illusion of sorts.

Either way, it smells great, and lends a definite smoothness the the composition with the vanilla and tonka bean.

As it dries down further, I get less of the apple sweetness, and more patchouli and smokiness. It’s not a super heavy patchouli, which is nice, and it does have a ‘balmy’ feeling like Parfums de Marly was describing.

Nutmeg definitely lets itself be known, when I put my nose directly to my skin, and pairs well with the vanilla.

Ultimately, what I get out of the cologne is: sandalwood as the starting point, vanilla, patchouli, saffron, and tonka bean. Everything else, turns into a bit player.

It’s a perfect blend between sweet and warm spice. Not basic candy sweet, but well blended, and totally refined. Carlisle is dark throughout with a light touch of smokiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Carlisle is strong, but not offensively so. You could over spray it, but with any normal amount, that won’t be a problem. It sticks to the skin well and the sillage is consistent throughout.

With this scent, I get all day wear from it without a problem. This is one of those colognes that will touch double digits, in terms of hours. I’d say that it ultimately falls in the 12 or 13 hour range. Really pretty much all you need for any effective use.

Seasonally, it will mostly be great for cold weather. However, I think that it should hold up nicely in moderate to warm temperatures, as well. Just not into extreme heat or humidity situations.

Carlisle also has very good versatility with what situations you could wear it in. It’s more of a dressed up kind of fragrance, it works in the office, romantically, late nights out, suited up, etc.

It does have a wonderful smell that is seductive and sexy. Folks around the wearer should take a liking to this scent.

Overall Impressions of Carlisle

Overall, do I like Carlisle? Yes, I think that it is great. This is one of the best men’s fragrances by Parfums de Marly and a nice all around wear. It is familiar to me, by being related to other colognes from this brand, but still has its own identity.

The sandalwood and saffron really got my attention and my positive feelings were only solidified with the vanilla, apple, and nutmeg. I’ve enjoyed wearing this scent. If you’re not into warm, sweet, smoky colognes…this isn’t for you, though.

But, I think that this will have a mass appeal, and many guys would enjoy wearing this. the only question is the price point, which is outside of the realm of possibility for many.

Bonbon by Viktor & Rolf

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I got a hold of a sample of Bonbon perfume for women and have tested out its candy-like fragrance over the past few days. This scent from Viktor & Rolf followed the ever popular, Flowerbomb, and while the two do share some similarities, the notes are different enough for them to be definitely distinct perfumes. Bon was released back in 2014.

In this post, I want to share my thoughts on how Bonbon smells, perfumes, when it should be worn, and if I think it is worth a purchase.

What does Bonbon Smell Like?

bonbon perfume review

Notes include: caramel, orange, peach, mandarin, amber, sandalwood, jasmine, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: Viktor & Rolf Bonbon Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.04 Ounce

My Full Review

My initial impression of Bonbon is of how bright, sweet, and delicious that it smells. The caramel is the main attraction here, so if that’s not your style, Bonbon isn’t the fragrance for you. However, I do love how it pairs with the orange and peach notes to create an underlying juiciness.

It does have a somewhat similar opening to Black Opium because of the orange note and the sweetness of coffee in that one versus the caramel in Bonbon.

The opening is quite juicy with the fruit notes and there are the light floral notes, mostly orange blossom. The caramel is there, right from the start, but it takes a bit of time for it to fully take over.

When it does, the amber note joins it, giving Bonbon a warm and slightly salty feeling. Salty, in addition to the caramel itself.

As it dries down further, the citrus fades, but the peach note hangs around in a support role. Sandalwood lends its usual creaminess to the composition, but it honestly, isn’t that strong in this perfume.

The final dry down is heavy with caramel and amber, with solid portions of peach and orange blossom. The rest of the notes are light and fairly well-blended.

Some might think that Bonbon is too sweet of a perfume, but it really isn’t, in my opinion. I find it to be really appealing in how gourmand and pretty it smells. It is very creamy and feminine but maintains a youthful energy throughout.

I sprayed some on my wrist and found its presence to be delightful, even though, I’m a guy and it’s completely out of place on me. The dry down is the best part in my opinion, when the amber note adds a bit of warmth to the caramel. Very nice.

Sillage, Longevity, When to Wear

Projection wise, it is good without being overpowering. I sprayed a shot of it on a sweatshirt about six feet away from me before I began writing this post and I can get that faint aroma of Bonbon from here.

I might have to just use this sample as an air freshener, since I can’t really wear this perfume, as a guy.

Longevity is also really good, the night I sprayed it on my wrist, it stayed strong until I went to sleep and I could still faintly detect it the next morning. Since then, on the skin, it seems to hit a good 8 hours without issue. It can go longer, depending on the climate.

Bonbon is an option for the cooler months of the year and is safe to wear to work or school. I’d stay away from it during hotter days or if you live in a more tropical climate. I don’t know that I’d call it sexy, but it is appealing, and I honestly would like smelling this on a woman.

It is a more youthful scent but I don’t think it is quite as ‘girly’ as some of the Britney Spears fragrances or something along those lines. Bonbon feels a bit more mature, like in your twenties, instead of teens.

All in all, it is a versatile fragrance, so long as you don’t go overboard with the sprays. I’d lean toward saying it is more appropriate for casual or nightlife situations, but it won’t be out of place when worn lightly, in an office.

Overall Impressions of Bonbon

Is Bonbon worth a buy? Maybe. I actually find this perfume to be really attractive, but also understand that if you’re not a fan of the sweet scents, keep away from Bonbon. It’s not amazingly complex or sexy or mature but it does smell good.

It can be pretty pricey, however, and that might be the biggest strike against it for some people. Is such a straightforward scent worth that much? That depends entirely you and your tastes.

I really like caramel as a note and the opening pairing of citrus/peach, is very well done. It’s juicy, sweet, with a warm saltiness. The amber and caramel dry down is appealing, serves as a nice platform, for the other ingredients to waft out of from time to time. Bonbon isn’t the greatest thing on the market, but certainly qualifies as a good perfume.

Live Irresistible EDP by Givenchy

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I’m still making my way through a lot of women’s perfume samples, and so, the reviews will be coming for the foreseeable future. Today’s entry is a scent from Givenchy, Live Irresistible. This original release of the series, came out back in 2015. How does this one smell? What’s the performance like? Is it worth a try?

What does Live Irresistible Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, amber, pineapple, vanilla, praline, passion fruit, pepper, musk, and patchouli

Click here to try: Live Irresistible by Givenchy Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 oz for Women  

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my own review of this perfume, let’s see how Givenchy describes it: Your Motto: We only live once. Your perfume: A fruity floral, fizzy and spicy. Your mood: Happy & Irresistible!

Live Irresistible opens up with a blend of citrus and pineapple, with a very noticeable rose, lurking underneath. It’s a very sweet and fruity perfume with a rose.

The praline note, provides a chocolate-like sweetness, which will come in more later on. Up top, it’s there and gives the scent a somewhat baked goods kind of smell. A warm sweetness, which is only enhanced by the earthy patchouli note.

As it moves along, it initially gives off a spiciness with some further floral development, wrapped up in a warm amber.  Pepper and patchouli bring the spice and take away some of the tart sharpness provided by the pineapple note.

Finally, I’m left with a fruity chocolate fragrance, with amber, rose and patchouli floating around the edges of this perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Live Irresistible starts off with a pretty strong ability to project. Later on, the sillage settles down, but it’s never a weak fragrance. It’s solid and you’ll know it’s there for the duration.

On the whole, I say that it’s well above average with how it projects and leaves a scent trail versus the baseline perfume out there. It just doesn’t have that cloying heaviness, since this is a fresher and fruitier fragrance with those heavier gourmand notes not bogging it down.

On my skin, this Givenchy perfume, gave about 9 hours of wear. It’s somewhere in that range, as I lost the exact track of time, but there aren’t any performance issue here at all.

Climate wise, I think it’s best for mild to warmer weather. The fruity and floral blend, definitely gives this a spring/summer feel. It’s nice and really worked well outside, in the sunlight, right after a few sprays.

It’s got an energetic and uplifting aroma, that makes it great as a casual or daily wear. Not something that is super sexy or one built for the nightlife.

Overall Impression of Live Irresistible

Do I like this perfume? Somewhat. I’m not too sold on the first part of the wear. There’s a lot going on and some of the notes clash, in my opinion. Fruity, chocolate, spice, rose…pick a lane.

Later, this scent does get better, and it’s a nice aroma. I like the sweetness of the whole thing, it’s not amazing, but Live Irresistible is still attractive and has a fun energy. On the plus side, the performance here is solid.

So, if you do enjoy the scent itself, you’ll get your money’s worth. Overall, it’s a good, though not great fragrance. If you can get it at a discount, and it sounds interesting to you, I’d say go for it.

Athalia by Parfums de Marly

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For this fragrance review entry, I have a perfume from the women’s lineup of Parfums de Marly called, Athalia. PdM is a high end luxury fragrance brand, which has produced a lot of amazing scents over the past decade or so. This one was released in 2016.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at this one in particular. I will share my experiences wearing Athalia, discuss what it smells like, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a try.

What does Athalia Smell Like?

Notes include: incense, rose, orange bitter, iris, orange blossom, amber, vanilla, and vetiver

Click here to try: PARFUMS DE MARLY Athalia, 2.5 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see what Parfums de Marly says about Athalia: “Athalia is highly sensual with an opening of encens, rose, and orange bitter followed by a bouquet of iris and orange blossom on a base of amber, vanilla, and vetiver, giving the fragrance a floral amber accord. Seductive and attractive, this feminine perfume is one that is a perfect day regardless of the occasion.”

The opening of Athalia is quite lovely. There is a light incense note, at the top, which gets a bit smokier as the wear moves on (but never too much). However, what I mainly pick up at the start of this is orange blossom, orange, and some rose.

The iris powdery quality is hanging in the background, with a clean aroma, but it is secondary at this point.

After about 10 minutes, Athalia begins to shift more into becoming an iris-led floral perfume. The rose is not really that powerful to my nose, I mostly get the iris and orange blossom, with some of the smoky quality of the incense.

Athalia gets warmer, as it moves along, but I wish that orange bitter note still hung around. I really enjoyed that, in the opening act of this fragrance. Nonetheless, this perfume moves forward, with a surprisingly nice blend of iris, amber, and vetiver.

There is still some orange blossom and vanilla, but those two notes flank, these main three. That’s about what you get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Athalia has a fairly moderate sillage. It’s not too powerful, even at the start, but you’ll know that it’s there throughout the wear.

Though, it will stay in that 2-4 foot range from where you sprayed it for a good portion of the wear.

The longevity is really quite good, as well. It seems to sit somewhere in the 8-10 hour range, on my skin.

It’s about what I get with most of the perfumes from this brand. Some will go deeper into double digits, but most get to the level that Althalia is at.

Seasonally, this is a warmer fragrance, so it’s best in cooler climates. Wouldn’t be bad for springtime either, just not a summer wear, at all. A lot of iris fragrances, can get too powdery, and not have that appealing side to them.

However, Athalia actually does deliver as seductive aroma, as promised, and is something that I enjoy smelling thoroughly.

It’s also not just stuck in being a nighttime fragrance. It isn’t anything to out there, that it couldn’t be worn at the office or even more casually. Athalia can check a lot of boxes, as to when it can be applied.

Overall Impressions of Athalia

Overall, do I recommend Athalia? Yes, I think that it is a wonderful fragrance overall. My favorite part is the opening, but it is still nice during the rest of the way, also.

The incense is really well done, how it is paired with the rose, orange, and orange blossom, is fantastic. I’m not even a massive fan of that smoky note, but it’s so approachable and beautiful in this mix.

This is a fragrance, where you’re going to have to enjoy the iris note, because that’s the leader. That’s what you’re going to get a lot of in the dry down period versus it being more in the background in the opening act.

I might be a bit higher on this perfume than some other people, as I do enjoy a good iris scent.

But, there is still other things to enjoy from the orange bitter to the amber or the vetiver. The performance is very solid and it’s a joy to wear in totality.

It’s also just a perfume that can fit in a lot of places and has the potential to be a signature scent. At the $300+ price point, you might still want to test it out for yourself before committing to a full bottle. That can be a costly mistake, if you don’t enjoy the scent itself.