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!

Nike Epic React Flyknit Full Wear Review

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Now that I’ve had the Nike Epic React Flyknit sneakers for over a week, I thought that it’d be a good time to post a review on this site. I’ve already created a YouTube video about my experiences with it (posted below), so, if you’d rather watch a video review instead of reading my post…you have the option. These sneakers are the exclusive White Fusion colorway that Nike released to their Nike Plus members and then sold out of within a few hours. In this post, I’ll cover what I like and dislike about these shoes, show pictures, and what I think about how they perform/look overall. Try the Epic React Fusion from Nike

Fit

I have a wider foot, but seeing as I couldn’t try these on before I purchased them, I went with my usual 11.5 size. Nike running shoes have a tendency to run narrow and while the Epic React Flyknit isn’t super narrow, it is still a bit of a tight fit on my feet.

Over the big toe area, it is definitely a snug fit, and something that bothered me somewhat during running. For most people who don’t have a wider foot, this shouldn’t be a problem. In my case, I should have gone a half size up for maximum comfort.

That being said, it isn’t too much of a deal breaker. It’s my biggest gripe with these sneakers, however, it simply means that I will no longer use them for running. Strictly casual use from here on out.

Style

I really liked how this colorway looked, which is obviously why I shelled out the cash for them. Do I think that they’re the prettiest shoes ever? No. I actually like how the Adidas Boost looks in the triple white colorway better (which is one of the few colorways I like on the Adidas Boost). I don’t own a pair of Boosts, so I cannot do a comparison, on these two sneakers.

That being the case, the Epic React Flyknit does still looks great on foot in my opinion. When just sitting on its own, it has a tendency to droop, as it’s so light and the Flyknit is thin; but when worn with jeans or shorts, they have quite an appealing aesthetic.

Check out the video review, for shots of the shoe on my feet.

React Technology

How does the React cushioning feel?

Great.

No, seriously, I love the React cushioning. These shoes are super light (8.6 oz, I think?) and the React does have that cloud/pillow like feeling as you walk. It has a certain level of give but it’s not like you’re ‘sinking’ down into the shoe. There is a bounce back and enough stiffness to give stability as you walk/run.

Again, I have no clue how it compares to Boost. Though, I don’t particularly care, because these are so much more comfortable than my other Nike sneakers.

The feeling in the heel of the shoe is my favorite aspect of the Epic React Flyknit. The cushioning there is so responsive and soft, that if it weren’t for the sizing issue, I would forget that I had them on.

Yes, I did run in them twice, on a treadmill. The big toe tightness bothered me, but I enjoyed the rest of the shoe. The react cushioning did have a nice bounce to it with each stride and the light weight was noticeable, even with the fact that I usually run in a pretty light weight Nike.

I’m done running with this pair in particular, but if I find the right size when the other colorways are released, I just might pick me up a pair to run in.

Overall

I really like these sneakers. I wouldn’t say they’re perfect in terms of styling and sizing but if I had gotten a size 12 and it fit correctly, I’d probably be raving about how awesome they are.

Styling is good but not magnificent. I think they look best on feet and when viewed from the front. Also, since they are a running shoe, the best way to wear it with shorts. Though, casually with jeans, I feel that they still have a solid look with the white/white/racer blue colorway.

Running felt good. I am a casual runner (mostly treadmill), so, those who do more serious training might need something more specific for their needs. Just general running, these should do well for most people.

Most importantly, comfort was exactly what I expected and wanted with the React cushioning. I do still need to get a correct size, but once I do, I’ll have found an almost ideal, multi-purpose sneaker.

Nike Epic React Flyknit Exclusive ‘White Fusion’ Colorway

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While this website does deal almost exclusively in the fragrance arena, I do on occasion branch out into some other aspect of men’s fashion…just not often. As such, I figured today was a good day to do so since I received shipment of the exclusive ‘White Fusion’ Colorway of the new Nike Epic React Flyknit.

These running shoes were available for Nike Plus members through the Nike app and went on sale 2/5/18.

They apparently sold out in a few hours, but I was early enough to get my hands on a pair of size 11.5, and had them shipped overnight from Nike.  I’ve snapped a bunch of pictures of my pair and thought I’d share for those who’ve been looking for these. Plus, I have the video uploaded of the unboxing and what they look like when worn on my feet.

The colorway is officially: white/white/racer blue.

I like the soles but they do seem like a pain to keep clean. The cushioning feels nice and the shoe itself is crazy light weight.

The racer blue on the back of the sneaker, breaks up the all-white rest of the Epic React Flyknit.

The lacing system is interesting and there is no detached tongue.

7 Best Amber Scented Colognes for Men

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Amber seems to be one of my favorite notes to appear in fragrances. It never was something that I was conscious of, just time and time again, I would buy fragrances that had amber as one of the ingredients. To me, it’s just a total embodiment of fall/winter weather, and adds so much intrigue to a cologne.

With that in mind, I wanted to create a list of some of the best smelling amber colognes that have been produced. Some will be more of pure amber scents while others will be a blend of other notes, but I came up with 7 total, so there should be plenty to try out.

Demeter 1oz Cologne Spray – Amber– Much more of a pure amber scent. Fairly moderate in its projection but does give off a warm, woody, and a bit spicy aroma.

Prada Intense Eau De Parfum Spray for Men, Amber, 3.4 Ounce– This certainly lives up to the title of ‘intense’. This Prada flanker fragrance gives you the amber note with myrrh and patchouli for a unique and well blended experience.

Dolce and Gabbana The One EDT for Men, 3.3 oz– Not a pure amber but it is a prominent note and one of my favorite scents ever in terms of its smell. In terms of its performance, I could never get The One to last on my skin. Others get much better results, but I really loved this cologne.

Halston Man Amber by Halston Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 oz– An inexpensive blend of oud, amber, and myrrh. Quite warm, sweet, and smoky. An aroma that is quite unique and a nice niche scent for the price. Read my Full Review

Amber Gold– Mostly amber and sandalwood to give it that dark woody quality. Quite hard to find a bottle now, it seems but I’m sure it’s still somewhere on the depths of the internet.


Amber Absolute by Tom Ford– Another one that I think might be discontinued, which is a shame because this was an excellent distillation of smoky amber with some sweet vanilla tossed in for good measure. I’ve linked to Neiman Marcus’ website, which says it’s currently sold out, so maybe it’ll come around again in the future.

M7 By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz.– Another fragrance that has the oud and amber blend. M7 is an absolute legend, at this point in time, for how it smells and performs. It might take some work to find a bottle of the classic formulation but for some, it’s the best there ever was.

Best Smelling Colognes for Under $10: Bargain Fragrances for Men

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Alright, for this post I wanted to go to the absolute bottom of the market in terms of price, to see what I could come up with that is a bargain. Of course, you can usually find mini bottles of designer fragrances for under $10, but I thought I’d go for full bottles in that price range (1.7 oz or thereabouts). Now, I want to state that I have found each selection online for available for ten dollars as of writing, some places may be selling them for as high as $15 but the point still stands…this is as cheap as you’re going to get. It’s really hard to get quality at this price range but I have managed to find some. If you’re willing to go up-range a bit, also check out: Best Smelling Colognes Under $30 (which includes some $10-20 entries)

 

Cuba Gold by Cuba, 3.30 Ounce– Lots of similarities between this and the more expensive Le Male by JPG. Sweet with a heavy dose of powdery aroma. What’s even more surprising about this cheapy fragrance, is that it actually has solid performance. Cuba Gold won’t quit within a few hours and can usually make it through a full work or school day. Not insane performance by any means but for $10? A steal. Cuba has a few other fragrances that are also nice and at the same cost, this is a good brand to check out at rock bottom prices.

 

Playboy New York Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Playboy actually has an array of scents available for under $10 and in fact, most of them can be had for $5 currently. New York is one of the best of the bunch. A very fresh and sweet scent that feels like a designer fragrance clone…a vaguely familiar mix of several scents. The performance is okay when compared to most colognes but for the insanely low price, Playboy New York is an absolute winner. Playboy New York Review

 

GUESS Factory Men’s GUESS Man, 2.5 oz– So, this one might fall in the $12-14 range in most places but I’ve seen it for the $10 mark before. This has a nice woodsy spice to it, is quite masculine, and has decent performance. Not my favorite Guess cologne (that’d be Seductive Homme) but is one of their best and is usually the cheapest.

 

Adidas Deep Energy Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– A sporty, energetic and clean fragrance for men. Usually runs about $6-7 and smells nice enough and performs fairly well. What’s interesting is that D&G came out with The One Sport and it smells almost exactly like this but way more expensive and the longevity was worse than the cheap Adidas cologne.


Playboy London Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Another Playboy entry. A boozy, sweet, yet slightly spicy fragrance with notes including cognac. Quite fresh and the longevity is good enough for what it is. Playboy London Full Review

 

Aspen by Coty for Men, 4 ounce Cologne Spray– An even cheaper version of Cool Water by Davidoff.  Fresh, woody, with a hint of citrus. Has really good longevity for the price.

 

Yacht Man Blue By Puig Eau-de-toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– A citrus aquatic that has an aroma similar to many others but is available for really cheap. The longevity on this stuff isn’t good at all, so you’ll need to spray more than you usually would to make it last. However, it’s so inexpensive that it really doesn’t matter if you use more, as it’s not a waste.

 

 

CH Men Prive by Carolina Herrera

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Carolina Herrera is low key one of the best fragrance design houses out there, in my opinion. The 212 scents, such as 212 VIP and 212, are fantastic and distinct in their own ways.

With so many positive experiences I’ve had trying out this designer’s line of fragrances, I always look forward to picking a new scent and giving it a wear.

This time around it’s, CH Men Prive, which I gave a one time wear while at yet another duty free shop over in Europe.  I want to use this post to give my impressions of Prive and explore exactly what kind of fragrance it is.

CH Men Prive Overview

Notes include: lavender, cardamom, sage, leather, whiskey, grapefruit, tonka bean, benzoin

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Prive Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Immediately, CH Men Prive, has me hooked by its scent. Leathery, boozy, tonka bean laden scents are among my favorite and Prive is right in that lane.

212 VIP also by Carolina Herrera, uses vodka as its alcohol of choice for an upbeat/club type of vibe, while Prive chooses whiskey with leather to create something darker and more mature.

Prive is sort of like a cousin of Bvlgari’s Man in Black (which I wore heavily this past winter and even last Saturday night), as they share the leather, tonka, and benzoin notes but Man in Black uses rum as its booze note.

I’d say that Man in Black is the spicier of the two, while Prive has that smooth/neat feel to it.

The leather is rich and warm and is paired very well with the whiskey note. However, it doesn’t seem to stray too far into the hyper-masculine arena, as Prive has a nice touch of sweetness to it. It’s not really a fruity sweetness or candy-like, more like a refined sugar.

To me the benzoin note brings to mind, Kouros Body by YSL. The whiskey note isn’t overpowering and in fact starts to take a backseat after the initial opening.

The vodka in 212 VIP and the rum in Man in Black are both much more prevalent than this whiskey of Prive.

I don’t know what the ‘wood’ note is in this cologne but I do detect one in the scent. I’d have to spend more time with it but it was a pleasant surprise.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off pretty big but then ends up being fairly moderate. It’s not huge and overwhelming but you’ll know it’s there.

The longevity is also pretty good, I got maybe 6-7 hours, when I wore it. Maybe it was the conditions, but it didn’t strike me as a powerhouse scent.

I could definitely wear this casually but like Man in Black, I would use it more for nightlife or for going out on dates.

It’s a fall/winter scent but as long as it’s not too hot at night, it should hold up well in the evenings. CH Men Prive is dark and sensual and should attract plenty of attention.

Overall Impressions of CH Men Prive

Overall, is CH Men Prive worth a buy? To me, yes. I hardly need another cold weather favorite, as I have so many options but Prive is really damn good.

I don’t know if there’s a Carolina Herrera cologne that I hate and if there is it sure isn’t Prive.

If you like well balanced, masculine scents, full of leathery goodness, then you’d do well to check this one out.