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!

The One Sport by Dolce & Gabbana

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Marching on with my reviews of recent fragrance samples I’ve received, I’m going to tackle a scent by Dolce & Gabbana, that is a flanker fragrance to The One for Men. The One sport is a fresh and obviously sporty take on the original but how does it stand up to its predecessor? Also, what does it smell like, and is it even worth a purchase?

What does The One Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: sequoia, rosemary, cardamom, musk, patchouli

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana The One Sport Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

I was a big fan of how the original The One by D&G smelled, in fact, it was one of my favorite scents ever…except for the fact that it lasted less than 20 minutes on my skin. So, I was curious as to what my experience with The One Sport would be in light of the weakness of the progenitor.

Upon first sniff, I immediately recognize a familiar aroma, and it’s that of Deep Energy by Adidas. That Adidas fragrance is another sporty scent for men and it shares a very large part of its character with this D&G cologne.

The notes between the two overlap with the cardamom, musk, patchouli, and a wood note (albeit different trees). Add to that, they are also quite watery/aquatic in nature.

The biggest difference between the two is that The One Sport has a rosemary note and Deep Energy uses citrus. The variation is actually pretty slight and these scents are very close to one another.

So, beyond smelling like a rosemary laced Deep Energy, The One Sport is a pretty linear affair. It’s a very basic scent that doesn’t really develop much personality or surprise you in anyway while wearing it. What you originally smell is essentially what you get throughout.

That’s not to say that I think that it doesn’t smell good. I mean, I like it, but I’m not blown away by the scent. It’s an upbeat and fresh scent with a bit of spice and wood. That’s about it. Straightforward and to the point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this scent is pretty weak. It is fairly noticeable at first but then dies a quick death. Longevity is about an hour, maybe two, if you’re lucky.

It really does seem like The One Sport was designed to be worn at the gym and that’s it. Maybe casually on a summer’s day.

I honestly don’t know when else you would wear it. It doesn’t really smell sexy, and doesn’t last long enough, to be a workplace fragrance. So, it’s kind of pointless otherwise.

Overall Impressions of The One Sport

Overall, would I recommend The One Sport? I don’t see a reason to own this cologne. At this price point, it is very limited, if all you want to do is wear a fragrance at the gym why not just buy the Adidas scent for around $10? (Update: That’s not even possible anymore, at that price point)

You get basically the same scent and it actually performs better and lasts longer. The One Sport is just about completely pointless. It smells just fine, but offers nothing besides that. I’ll pass.

Somehow they decided to make a sport version of The One EDT, a scent with fairly notoriously bad performance. I know that this hasn’t been available for about a decade, but The One Sport is easily the worst of this D&G series.

La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain

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So, I’ve received two samples of La Petite Robe Noire fragrances by Guerlain, and it of course confused me as to which one was which. There seems to be a long complicated structure to when the original was released and then all of the subsequent flanker perfumes that all have very similar bottles.

Never mind all of that though, this post will take a closer look at the Eau de Parfum version of this Guerlain scent, and present my opinions on how it smells, performs, and when it should be worn.

What does La Petite Robe Noire Smell Like?

Notes include: black cherry, rose, almond, licorice, black tea, red berry, vanilla, and more

Click here to try: Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening is a blend of black cherry and berry notes that has a heavy syrup quality to it, much like the type of cherries you’d find at a bar or used as candy flavoring.

This does have that strong candy/medicinal aroma that can wear on me, thanks to the licorice note, much like the one found in Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin. However, it doesn’t bother me as much in this eau de parfum, as it does in that men’s fragrance.

As it dries down, I do begin to detect more of the almond and vanilla note in La Petite Robe Noire. It gives it a bit of a different profile than that strong almost overly sweet start and some much needed depth to the perfume.

What’s interesting, is that even though this is a sweet/fruity fragrance, it does have a darker and less girly feel than many similar fragrances of its ilk. Also, as it wear it does seem to evolve further, while never losing its cherry aroma.

The black tea, rose, and other floral notes begin to take shape and make me appreciate this scent even more.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off strong for the first ten minutes or so, before it fades into something much more moderate and tolerable. That opening sweetness can feel a lot more powerful, than the perfume actually is.

The longevity struck me as pretty good but not insane, I would say it lasted about 6-7 good hours on my skin. It’s about in line with what I’ve come to expect from this series.

I think that this is a scent for colder weather. La Petite Robe Noire does have that kind of sweetness that can overwhelm and annoy some people, so I’m not too sure that I’d recommend it for office or school wear. Best to be worn on an evening out, it would seem.

Overall Impressions of La Petite Robe Noire EDP

Overall, would I recommend this fragrance? For some people, yes. If you’re in the market for a solid cherry based scent, this could be one to explore. I find it very interesting, but not incredible, by any means.

I like when the opening settles down and more of the almond and vanilla comes through. That’s when Robe Noire is at its absolute best.

In my opinion, it’s decent to good but for some ladies this might be love at first sniff…and others still will detest this parfum. It’s definitely one to try out and not expect a universal appeal while wearing it. A mostly good Guerlain scent.

Eau Mega by Viktor & Rolf

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Time for another ladies’ fragrance sample review. Today’s contestant is Eau Mega by Viktor & Rolf, which was released in 2009. Is this blend of floral and fruit notes worth purchasing consideration?

What does it smell like? How does it perform? As usual, I will give my opinion on all of these questions and figure out what the deal is with Eau Mega.

Eau Mega Overview

Notes include: jasmine, peony, musk, pear, lemon, violet leaf

Click here to try: Eau Mega by Viktor & Rolf, 1.70 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Viktor & Rolf’s Eau Mega is a watery blend of pear and peony. It actually really reminds me of a hand soap that I’ve purchased before, which doesn’t strike me as a good thing in a perfume.

I think it is due to the pear and jasmine notes coming together, as those are usual ingredients in those products.

I also get a vibe of something like Alien Aqua Chic (if I remember correctly), just in it’s water notes. Eau Mega isn’t an oceanic aquatic, but it does have quite a watery aroma.

As Eau Mega moves along in time, the violet leaf and musk take on a larger role and it gets away from the hand soap opening.

I get a very floral, green, and fruity aroma from this perfume, much like a garden or bouquet of flowers that has just gotten a dowsing from a sprinkler system.

What this scent is by this point in time, is what you should expect from the rest of the wear, as it really doesn’t develop any further.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this one is pretty good. The first hour has some decent punch behind it. Later, it is a subtle fragrance, that will play the background.

By no means, is this a monster scent that will take over the room.

The longevity is again, just okay, it isn’t poor so I can’t beat it up too much on that point. Eau Mega is quite serviceable in the performance department. It lasts about 6-7 hours, on my skin.

It’s decent enough for what this scent is and what you’d use it for. This V&R perfume just wasn’t one of their powerhouses.

Eau Mega strikes me as a casual wear that is built for the warmer months of the year. So, seasonally mainly spring and summer. Maybe it can venture into the autumn or indoors during the winter.

It could be worn at school or the office, but it doesn’t feel to me like a sexy or romantic kind of perfume at all.

It is clean and fresh scent, that isn’t going to offend, but probably won’t turn heads either.

Overall Impressions of Eau Mega

Overall, is Eau Mega worth a buy? Maybe. I don’t find it to be a great fragrance but it’s not terrible either. If you’re a fan of pear and floral scents, this could be worth a look.

The soapy aspects of this scent aren’t really my thing. Not completely off-putting or anything, just not something that I’m all that impressed by.

I think that it does everything well and smells good but it never really knocks your socks off. At it’s price point, you can probably do better than this.

There are plenty of other pear forward fragrances beyond this one, that’d also be enjoyable and more so than Eau Mega.

Update: It has been discontinued for a while now. Not worth tracking down.

Boss in Motion by Hugo Boss

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Another one of my recent sample hauls, yielded me a vial of Boss in Motion by Hugo Boss. I have already reviewed plenty of scents from this brand recently, including Element and Bottled Night. However, I still needed to address this cologne which was released by Hugo Boss back in 2002.

Though it isn’t a new scent, I figured I might as well give my thoughts on how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase.

What does Boss in Motion Smell Like?

hugo boss in motion review

Notes include: pink pepper, basil flowers, musk, orange, bergamot, cinnamon

Click here to try: Boss In Motion By Hugo Boss For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3 Ounces

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Boss in Motion is kind of a mess, in my opinion. I get some weird blend of basil, pink pepper, musk, and a hint of orange that has a smoky and plastic scent to it. Needless to say, I was initially disappointed when I first sprayed this juice on.

However, while I was at the gym, I kept getting a pleasant whiff of Boss in Motion and its dry down phase, that is actually really good. I’d say the first 10-15 minutes, this cologne needs to work out its issues and then after that, you get a very nice sporty casual fragrance.

After that first phase, Boss in Motion becomes smooth and creamy with a main citrus note of orange with bergamot playing the background. There is still that spicy/smokey flavor to it but now plays a support role.

Honestly, Boss in Motion became a pleasant surprise for me, its fresh and masculine but doesn’t get drawn to far into the spicy or citrus direction…it has a solid balance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this Hugo Boss scent is moderate. It won’t choke out the room but you’ll notice it there. Perfect for casual situations.

It has pretty good longevity, as it should last you throughout an entire work day without having to reapply. With my sample, usually in the 6.5-8 hour range of wear. Not the best, but still quite good.

It is versatile enough to wear out on a date or night on the town but I like it as an everyday type of wear, especially outdoors. Boss in Motion probably isn’t at its best in the heat, so keep this strictly from fall to early spring.

Overall Impressions of Boss in Motion

Overall, is Boss in Motion a buy? I say, yes. Beyond its opening problems, its a solid performer, smells nice, and has a good bit of versatility of wear.

I wouldn’t put it at the top of my favorite Hugo Boss colognes, but it is a strong outing from this brand, and worth a look if it fits your style. It’s still among my favorites they’ve released in the past decades.

This one was pretty underrated and isn’t too available anymore. Though, there are still bottles floating around out there. The orange, spice, and smokiness comes together quite nicely.

Azzaro Pour Homme Night Time

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This is my full wear review of Azzaro Pour Homme Night Time, released in 2011 by Loris Azzaro. As I usually do, I’m going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think that this cologne is worth a purchase.

What does Azzaro Night Time Smell Like?

Notes include: bitter orange, vetiver, lavender, cedar, rhubarb

Click here to try: Loris Azzaro Azzaro Pour Homme Night Time Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

I’m not that much of a fan of bitter orange in my fragrances. and am not that enthusiastic about regular orange, most of the time either. However, the bitter orange note that is prominent in Night Time, isn’t bad and I actually kind of like it.

The original Azzaro Pour Homme, is a nice and inexpensive scent, it just never fit my style. I feel the same way about this one, also. Night Time shares some of the DNA with the original but it has much less of that dry wood scent and goes more into the combo of bitter orange and rhubarb.

Night Time has a different sort of spice, than its originator, and it’s quite fresh and warm. Though, you can still tell that this is a relative of Azzaro Pour Homme, which isn’t always the case with these flankers (see: La Nuit De L’Homme L’Intense).

The biter orange adds some zest to the composition and combined with rhubarb, it makes for an interesting aroma. Yet, it never strays into the realm of a pure citrus fragrance, and retains that sharp/dry woody greenery that made the original popular.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Night Time, is pretty good. It’s not a beast nor overwhelming but it definitely gets the job done…especially at this price point. I’d say that it’s above average, just not crazy loud.

The longevity is also quite good, but it’s not an extreme 12+ hour scent by any means. Though, it should last for most of the day. Around 7-9 hours.

I’d call this a good casual/work scent, and yes, it can be a nighttime fragrance for going to Happy Hour afterwards. It’s not particularly built for the summer (when I’m trying this sample), but it should be a great fit for the autumn/winter months.

Probably a better wear for guys in their mid-20s and up. Doesn’t have a very youthful or teenager type of aroma.

Overall Impressions of Azzaro Night Time

Overall, is Azzaro Pour Homme Night Time worth a look? I’d say, yes. Again, it’s not really my style but I do think it’s a fine cologne. If you liked the original, you’d probably like this. Also, since it’s so inexpensive, it’s a solid wear that you can try out without having to go broke.

It was released about a decade ago at this point and was never that popular. As such, it can be difficult to find a bottle nowadays. So, it may no longer be an inexpensive find. If that’s the case, don’t overpay for a bottle. Under $30? It’s worthwhile, if you like this kind of cologne.