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!

Polo Red EDT vs. EDP

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Polo Red has been used for many releases by Ralph Lauren since the EDT was initially brought to market last decade. Now, they have come out with an Eau de Parfum version after cycling through Intense, Rush, Extreme, etc. The EDP does raise the question, which is better? EDT or the newer bottle? Which lasts longer? Which should you buy?

Tale of the Tape: Polo Red EDP vs Red EDT

Polo Red

Notes include: grapefruit, italian lemon, cranberry, saffron, sage, coffee beans, and amber

Click here to try: POLO RED by Ralph Lauren, 4.2 Fl Oz

Read my full review: Polo Red

Polo Red Eau de Parfum

Notes include: red grapefruit, ginger, cranberry, lavender, sage, cedar, benzoin, oud, resin, musk

Read my full review: Polo Red EDP

Opening

The original Polo Red starts off with a sharp, sweet, and tart blend of notes: lemon, cranberry, and grapefruit. While the cranberry is the strongest note, the lemon is also quite prevalent and there is a growing amber coming from the base.

Meanwhile, Red EDP starts off with the same cranberry and grapefruit sans lemon. Instead, you get ginger and later the sage note begins to take shape.

Between the two, EDP feels more tolerable and not as in your face as the original. The cranberry note is given more space to shine and I always love a good ginger.

I do also like the EDT, it’s just that, the lemon and amber can be a bit much and overly tart and sweet when it’s all blended.

Edge: EDP

Sillage

Both EDT and EDP start off projecting themselves well and as fairly strong overall. Then, each settles into more of a moderate scent. While EDP has the greater concentration of fragrance, it’s actually only slightly better in this regard, when compared with EDT.

Edge: EDP

Longevity

Red EDT lasts 4-6 hours on my skin. If I double up, I can get a few more out of the wear. EDP is better, but is by no means elite. 6-7.5 hours is what I’ve been getting out of it. Still, it takes this round.

Edge: EDP

 

 

Versatility

Red EDP is good fragrance in any season other than the summer. Meanwhile, the EDT is good in spring and can hold up better in summer.

Eau de Parfum feels more grown up, however. Neither is a formal fragrance, but EDP would fit in better in an office environment than EDT. Both have their strengths, but I don’t think either really has an edge.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Polo Red was a really nice release, when it came out years ago. I enjoyed wearing it around and thought that the cranberry note, was an interesting ingredient to use. It has that really tart lemon aroma that gets tempered by amber, as it moves along.

I always wished that the performance was better. It also can become kind of too sweet for its own good, also.

The EDP corrects this. The lemon is gone. You get ginger, sage, and a blend of lavender and benzoin in the base. It feels much smoother and more appealing than the EDT version.

I don’t think it’s a great release, but it does have the edge in this matchup. It’s a nice wear and has enough of the DNA of the original to be enjoyed by fans of EDT. The performance is slightly better, but not elite. Still, all things considered, I’d rather wear EDP.

Winner: Polo Red EDP

Good Girl EDP by Carolina Herrera

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Good Girl by Carolina Herrera has become a massive hit since its release in 2016. Since then, it has spawned a bunch of flanker perfumes in various decorated high heel bottles. How does it smell? When can it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Good Girl Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, coffee, bergamot, tuberose, almond, rose, tonka bean, cocoa

Click here to try: CAROLINA HERRERA Good Girl Eau de Perfume Spray, 2.7 Fl Oz

My Full Review

The initial spray Good Girl gives me a blend of citrus and white floral notes for the first few minutes. It’s somewhat of a lemon and jasmine blend with hints of almond coming through. There is a secondary layer of tuberose.

Quickly after that, the citrus really fades away on my skin. Then, the gourmand notes begin to move in. Up first is the aforementioned almond, which is joined by coffee. Later, cocoa and tonka bean will play a greater role.

This perfume does have a sweetness to it, but it isn’t sugary or candy-like. Actually, it’s very well blended and there is a certain spiciness that is persistent throughout. That, mostly comes through if I press my nose to the skin.

On my skin, I do get a greater share of almond and jasmine with some lighter coffee and tonka bean notes. However, when I have smelled this on women, it comes across as more of a mocha latte with floral highlights.

In either case, the latter stages are semi-sweet, a bit powdery, and almost exclusively jasmine (in terms of the floral notes). Coffee, tonka bean, and jasmine are what I pick up during the absolute final stage. Though, it gets more difficult to distinguish, as no one note dominates completely.

It doesn’t have a ton of development past that transition to the middle notes. Doesn’t necessarily need it, but Good Girl isn’t a very complex fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Good Girl isn’t a super heavy scent or one that is going to fill the room. However, I think that it projects itself to a greater extent than people give it credit for.

It’s not a constant bombardment of my sense of smell, but I do keep getting whiffs and impressions of it throughout the day. It’s not fading fast, rather, it can be subtle.

Longevity is also quite good, at around 8 hours. I’m not saying this Carolina Herrera fragrance is elite, but it does a solid job for most purposes.

Seasonally, this is a colder weather wear. Autumn through early spring, is when it is going to be of use. Not the most formal fragrance, but isn’t so sickly sweet or overpowering that you cannot lightly use in a variety of situations.

Casual wear to a night out to a party kind of fragrance, would all work with Good Girl. Very versatile and mass appealing.

Overall Impressions of Good Girl

Do I like this scent? Yes, I do. It’s popular for a reason. Not the most original or greatest perfume on the market, but it does everything well, with an appealing presentation. It gets copied a lot and there are more alternatives to Carolina Herrera Good Girl than ever.

I like that it doesn’t go completely gourmand or sickly sweet. The floral notes and overall balance lend themselves well to its overall appeal. I really like the coffee and almond notes, the most in the composition.

It’s one most are already probably familiar with. It performs well enough, has a nice scent, and can be worn for a good chunk of the year in a multitude of scenarios.

There have been a ton of flankers released after this initial one and it doesn’t seem as if they’re going to stop anytime soon. Some are better than this one, while others are forgettable.

Nothing groundbreaking here, just an easy to wear perfume, that is sort of a jack of all trades. Though, it certainly has some charm.

Invictus Intense vs. Invictus Legend Comparison

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The Invictus line from Paco Rabanne just keeps churning out new editions. The latest, is Invictus Legend, which came out in 2019. It is most often compared to Intense, but which of these scents smells the best? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy overall? Legend vs. Intense?

Tale of the Tape: Legend vs Intense

Invictus Intense

Notes include: orange blossom, black pepper, malt accord, wood, black amber, ambergris

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Intense Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.4oz

My Invictus Intense Review

Invictus Legend

Notes include: grapefruit, amber, geranium, metal, mead accord, guaiac wood, laurel, sea salt, bay leaf

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Legend eau de parfum for men 3.4 Fl Oz

Read my Review: Invictus Legend

Opening

Invictus Legend starts things off with almost a tropical sort of feel. It is a blend of lemon and grapefruit, with heavy aquatic notes and amber. The bay leaf, that is found in the Invictus line, is pretty faint in Legend.

Meanwhile, Intense begins with amber and a salty marine note. It seems more like salty breeze than anything oceanic. Then, the orange blossom note comes in, along with the boozy malted accord.

Which is better? It’s a really close call, but I think I still prefer Intense, over the newest release. I really dig the boozy and amber mix, it feels distinct, and darker than the other Invictus scents.

Edge: Intense

Projection

With the name Intense, you’d expect this one to be pretty clear cut. However, while Invictus Intense is fairly strong, the sillage isn’t crazy. In fact, I would say that Legend actually projects better than Intense.

It isn’t by much, but Legend will radiate off of my skin, by a few extra feet at its peak strength. Neither of them, is weak, however.

Edge: Legend

Longevity

With Legend, I can get 7-8 hours of wear out of that fragrance. It’s really good and will handle most purposes. Again though, Legend beats it out. I get 8-10 hours of wear, on my skin. Legend gets the edge.

Edge: Legend

Versatility

In terms of when you can wear each of these fragrances, they are about the same, excluding climate. Legend will work better in the heat, while Intense, isn’t really built for the height of summer.

Other than that, they are both pretty youthful scents. Better for casual wear, school, or nightlife. Not really professional sorts of fragrances. Legend gets a slight edge.

Edge: Legend (slightly)

Overall Scent

After trying out Invictus Legend, I found it to have many positive qualities. I especially love the citrus, toned down bay leaf, and greater use of amber than the original Invictus.

To me, Legend acts sort of as a midway point, between the original and Intense. It’s got great performance, aquatic elements, and a fresh aroma.

However, if I’m choosing which to wear, I’m still riding with Intense. I love the depth of this fragrance. I enjoy the booziness and amber, the sweetness, and woody base. I think it smells better.

If you liked the original or Invictus Aqua more, you might want to go with Legend. But out of these two, Intense is still number one. Though, I’d probably pick Legend as my second option.

Winner: Intense

Jimmy Choo EDP by Jimmy Choo

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Well, it’s about time that I do a review of a Jimmy Choo fragrance for women, after doing write-ups on the men’s side of things. Might as well start with the original release from the brand, Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum, released in 2011.

I grabbed a sample some time ago to give it a run through. It’s seemingly always among the top sellers, nowadays, but is it actually any good? How does it smell? How’s the performance? Is it worth a try?

What does Jimmy Choo EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, orchid, pear, orange, toffee caramel

Click here to try: JIMMY CHOO Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.0 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Before we get into my review of this perfume, let’s see what the brand has to say about it: A glamorous fragrance for women with a sense of fashion and a taste for luxury. The first Jimmy Choo fragrance envelops the woman with the sensuality and the essence of the brand through a Fruity Chypre perfume. An irresistible object of desire. 

Jimmy Choo EDP opens up with a mix of fruit and a very strong patchouli note. On the fruity side of things, I get the pear note with a bit of orange, sitting in a sea of patchouli. There is also the orchid note, hanging out on the periphery.

Right away, you’re going to need to be a patchouli fan, to be able to like this. That note settles down, later on, but it is intense with the opening act of fruit notes.

It’s a pretty aroma, while also having a sexy quality to it. Fashionable and well put together, sort of how there marketing has described this perfume to be.

The top is fruity sweet, then, the toffee note comes in to give it a warmer sweetness. At that point, the orange note is basically gone, and it’s all about the pear and toffee.

From there, the pear and caramel toffee switch places. The toffee becomes the stronger note, with the patchouli, and I even start to get more of the orchid. The pear hangs around, but isn’t the main attraction, any longer.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatilty

Sillage wise, I’d say this one projects pretty heavily at first, and stays fairly strong thereafter. Once you get past the first 15-20 minutes, Jimmy Choo EDP, no longer has any real ability to be overwhelming unless you went crazy with sprays.

It’s still got power after that, but it just isn’t a complete bomb, like it can be at first.

The longevity here is really good. On my skin, I can still detect it over 8 hours later. Is it a super performer? No, but it doesn’t quit in the middle of the day, and can make it for a full normal work schedule.

It’s a very versatile scent. I wouldn’t really classify it as being stuck in one season or another. Maybe not the best, in the height of summer, but good otherwise. That toffee and patchouli combo might be tough to pull off, during that part of the year.

You can wear this casually, dressed up, to the office, or for a night on the town. It’s a good all around wear. It’s attractive and has some definite sex appeal with its edible qualities.

Overall Impression of Jimmy Choo EDP

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I do. The opening isn’t my favorite, a little to much patchouli, but the dry down is great. That toffee, patchouli, and pear combination that hangs around for a few hours is near perfect together.

It’s a fragrance that does everything well, while not doing anything too incredible. However, as a daily wear it has its fans, and can absolutely find a spot in one’s rotation.

It does have sort of a Flowerbomb kind of style, but not the same weightings of each type of note found in these fragrances. But, if you enjoy that Viktor & Rolf perfume, this will probably appeal to you, also.

You get a solid performance, smell, and plenty of opportunity to wear it. It’s been around for near a decade, but Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum is still stylish, and attractive. If you find it at a discount, you can get a ton of value from this one. Even at full price, I’d say it’s well worth a try.

Dior Homme (2011) by Christian Dior

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Somehow, I’ve never gotten around to reviewing the Dior Homme line (other than Sport), up to this time on the website. Since I didn’t have a bottle of this stuff anymore and it’s been a while, I had to get myself a sample vial, and put it through its paces once again. In this post, I’ll cover what’s its notes are, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

What does Dior Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

Note: Dior has updated Dior Homme with a new formula, that I have yet to try, but will smell quite different. It apparently doesn’t have the iris note. In this post, I am reviewing the last formulation, which was a sort of reformulation itself...Dior does these things. So, note that if you’re buying from the major retailers going into 2020, you’re going to be getting something different than what I’m describing here. I will do a separate review for the new release, when I get to test it out.

I am updating this review, a few years after the fact. Why? I needed to expand upon this fragrance and what it is. I purchased a bottle in the largest size, after my initial review, and it became my go-to scent outside of testing things for this site.

The opening of Dior Homme is a clean rush of iris, that has sort of a unisex quality to it.  However, there is this underlying cacao note that gives it a certain sweetness and helps to further the powdery aroma.

The cacao will get a bit stronger, later, but does make an early appearance. Dior Homme is very smooth and floral, especially once the lavender note begins its ascent.

What I think is unique about this fragrance is its use of bergamot. Obviously, lots of male scents use this notes, but here it is so damn subtle and just about perfect in how it comes across. It’s just a peak of citrus popping off of the floral/leather/cacao notes, which gives it this zesty freshness.

It is an interesting contrast, between the light juiciness of the bergamot, and the underlying dryness coming from various notes like sage and vetiver. The sage is only noticeable to me, for a brief period of time.

I’ve smelled it as a more intense note in other men’s fragrances, but it has never had that much power in this composition.

To me the cacao isn’t as noticeable as it is in Dior Homme Intense, but it does give off that sweetness, and I think it’s the leather that’s holding it back somewhat. Then, there is the vetiver, which has the woodsy sharpness that seems to tie things together.

What I’m ultimately left with is a smooth and fresh blend of mostly the iris and leather. The cacao and lavender, as a secondary pairing. Some amber, with whatever’s left of the other notes. It hits my nose with such a cooling sensation. Like, a really dry cold breath of fresh air.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d call it a softer fragrance. Not super weak but more toward the moderate end of the scale. It’s not an overwhelming beast, but does have a nice perimeter around your person.

The longevity lasts me from anywhere to 5-7 hours, depending on the circumstance, and it can hang around on the skin for longer than that…but that’s when it’s noticeable.

Update: with the full bottle and its powerful sprayer, the longevity is a bit better than 5-7 hours. Now, I’d say it’ll give me 8 hours, pretty regularly. 9 with good climate conditions.

Seasonally, I wear this mainly in autumn and winter. The springtime is great too, but I generally stay away from the heat of summer.

The high humidity can make it a bit messy. We’ve had a week of temperatures of 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and Dior Homme, fits in beautifully.

In terms of its versatility, Dior Homme is on the dressy casual to fully dressed up end of things. Though, I would honestly have no problem wearing this anytime, it does have that air of class, maturity, and refinement.

So, yeah, you could wear this casually or out on a date. It does have a sexy quality and women enjoy smelling it.

The reaction that you get will largely depend on how that person, deals with the iris note. Some don’t like the powdery or ‘make up bag’ sort of smell. Though, the leather and other notes, do prevent this from being a female scent…for me at least.

I’ve never once gotten a negative reaction from wearing Dior Homme, but I have gotten a ton of positive reactions. It’s not necessarily the most complemented, but it does draw them.

Overall Impression of Dior Homme

Overall, would I recommend Dior Homme? Of course. It’s probably a classic, at this point in time. It’s such a well balanced scent that has a interesting and unique aroma, that can be appreciated by anyone, and not just those who are really into niche fragrances. This is great juice.

I’m kind of sad that they’re reformulating this cologne. I still have plenty left, but I guess I may need to buy another back up bottle, unless the new version just blows me away.

Dior Homme is a modern fragrance, that is extremely well put together. It has been emulated by other colognes, over the years, but this remains my favorite use of the iris note. I love this scent, it’s basically my signature wear, if I can have one outside of my commitments to this site.