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!

11 Best Smelling by Kilian Fragrances

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By Kilian is a niche fragrance designer, which has actually become very popular over the past decade. ‘Niche’ perfumes, are pretty much synonymous with the word expensive, and By Kilian is definitely that.

However, while there are a lot of these upscale designers, which produce pretty foul smelling scents, By Kilian actually does have some absolute gems under their belts.

In this post, I want to highlight 11 such perfumes, for both men and women; that could be considered the best from this brand. It’s by no means, exhaustive, but there should be something worthwhile for anyone looking to try out a By Kilian fragrance.

Favorite Perfumes by Kilian for Men and Women

Amazing Release

Angels’ Share by Kilian– This unisex perfume was released in 2020 and has become one of my favorite scents to wear, as of late.

Angels’ Share starts off sweet and boozy with cognac, tonka bean, and a solid oak base note. The cognac does come off similar to apple brandy, much like the fragrance with the same name further down this list.

It add a light cinnamon, praline, and vanilla to give it further sweetness and warmth. Then, the dry down is a delicious smelling woody fragrance with all of the boozy/sweet notes sitting just underneath.

Not too heavy of a fragrance, with a decent projection, and over 10 hours of wear. I’ve really loved wearing this stuff and will probably get a full bottle for my personal collection. Angels’ Share Review

angels review

Narcotics Floral Vanilla

Woman in Gold– To me, the Narcotics line from Kilian has the most winners, particularly for the ladies. Woman in Gold is one of the better options and gives you a great blend of floral notes, citrus, and vanilla.

Woman and Gold opens up with fresh and bright aldehydes paired with a lovely bergamot citrus and geranium. Under that, is the rose note and the tonka bean/vanilla combo that will be more prevalent in the dry down.

The rose is joined by a light freesia, both of which will become a generalized floral aroma, with patchouli and woody undertones. The vanilla will take over versus the tonka bean and that along with the woods and floral will be what’s left.

It’s a little sweet, the aldehydes are great up top with the citrus, and just enough vanilla to tie it all together. Woman in Gold Review

Sweet and Boozy Gourmand

Kilian Black Phantom- Memento Mori Perfume Refillable Spray 1.7 fl. oz– Black Phantom is a sweet gourmand, which really shines when its cold out. You get boozy slightly spiced rum, chocolate, caramel, and coffee. Yep, it’s going to be warm and delicious.

It’s like a nice coffee drink, with a bit of rum tossed in to liven the mood. The longevity is great and the sillage isn’t too heavy. Still, I’d keep this one out of the heat, and save it for cozier days. Black Phantom is a unisex, that leans masculine.

Warm Fruity Tobacco Smoke

Smoking Hot– This also starts off with apple and cinnamon notes, like Angels’ Share. The two, aren’t the same, however beyond that share similarity.

Here, you get a fruitier opening with a great apple note, some spiciness, and a smoky backing. The smoke isn’t overwhelming to me. Actually, the tobacco note itself is more prominent in the back half of the wear.

Opening act, plenty of smoke. Very sweet hookah with some spiciness/freshness, keeping it from being domineering.

Tobacco and vanilla are going to take up lots of the tail end, supported by the fruitier notes. However, you also get a bit of freshness from sage and moss notes.

Nice performance and something different that does perform as a unisex tobacco fragrance.

Floral with some Fruitiness

By Kilian – Good Girl Gone Bad Eau de Parfum – Travel Spray– The first entry for ladies, on the list, is an absolute floral affair. Osmanthus and rose, lead the pack, before it moves into become more of a bouquet with some nice amber touches.

The fruitiness here comes from the apricot note, with a very light apple. With the white floral notes, it does have a soapy/shampoo-like cleanliness to it.

The name on this one, totally doesn’t fit, but the scent itself is actually really nice. It’s much more of a ‘good girl’ and I’m not sure when that ‘bad’ side ever kicked in. So, if that’s what you’re expecting, it won’t be happening.

Tuberose and orange blossom have their moments, while the strongest of the floral notes towards the end will be the jasmine. The apricot note hangs around for the duration. You get a sweet, easy to wear floral, that’s actually appropriate for younger women also. Good Girl Gone Bad Review

kilian good girl review

The Better Straight to Heaven

Straight To Heaven Extreme by Kilian/1.6 oz.– Yes, the original is one of the most popular Kilian scents. However, let’s kick things up, with Straight to Heaven Extreme which is even better than its predecessor.

Like, Black Phantom above, Straight to Heaven Extreme utilizes rum. It’s a really powerful start.

However, this one doesn’t go into full sweetness mode, and is much boozier overall. There is still some sweetness, with dried fruits and some vanilla, but it has a much earthier base with a nice patchouli note.

It lives up to the extreme title, as the projection and longevity, are awesome. Update: This one is discontinued. The original is still around, but you’ll have to buy Extreme on the secondary market, if you want it.

Warm, Spicy, and Delicious

Intoxicated Refill by Kilian/1.7 oz.– Intoxicated is a simple, but wonderful blend, of mostly cardamom and coffee. Underneath that, is further spices, of cinnamon and nutmeg. This one is super fresh and warm with a spice that never gets out of hand.

It’s got a very attractive smell, with a moderate sillage, overall. There’s not much depth to this one, just a great aroma, for those who want a blend of sweet and spice.

They’ve had a few of these simpler scents that were kind of mid. This one, is a perfume that actually hits the mark.

Best Winter Fragrance

Kilian Back To Black Travel Set– This is probably the most popular of the Kilian fragrances, it also happens to be, one of the best. Honey and tobacco, are major players here, with a cherry note that is quite present at the top.

It’s unique, with a dark sweetness, about it. Back to Black is mostly a sweet fruity tobacco fragrance, with notes like saffron and almond, peaking through at times during the wear. Really great performance, not too loud, but an all day wear.

A Different Take on Boozy

Kilian Apple Brandy 17 ml / 0.57 fl– Apple Brandy is exactly as boozy as you’d expect it to be. Like a liquor soaked cask, with an apple aroma at the top, and vanilla sweetness in its heart. A sweet, warming cologne, for those colder days and nights of wintertime.

The opening is pretty juicy, then it’s a boozy sweetness, and finally it’s a liquored woody base. Very delicious, probably not one for everybody, but great nonetheless.

Update: This one also seems to be discontinued. They do have Apple Brandy on the Rocks, still. Not the same exactly, not as good in my mind, but might be something you’d like.

Sweet Floral Perfume

By Kilian – Love Travel Spray with Refills– Love is a perfume with a sugary sweet marshmallow, caramel and vanilla blend, sitting on top of floral notes such as iris, orange blossom, honeysuckle, and neroli.

The orange blossom/neroli pairing, really plays well off of the candy-like top notes. Early on, the orange blossom and marshmallow are the dominant notes, to my nose. The rose and iris her are light and give a slight powdery aroma to the warm gourmand sweetness.

As it dries down, jasmine starts to make itself known more, in the floral arrangement. Vanilla, marshmallow, and musk when the caramel fades and the floral notes are just a general impression instead of being distinct.

This is a very pretty perfume, that is good for daily wear, but can have a bold character when over-applied. Best worn in autumn through the early springtime, as it can be too thick for summer. Read my full Review

love don't be shy review

Fruity with Rose

By Kilian – Liaisons Dangereuses, Eau de Parfum Perfume 50 ml– Liaisons Dangereuses is much more of a women’s fragrance, but a man could definitely pull it off. You get a lot of peach and plum (not a lot), throughout, with a tart black currant in the opening.

Beyond that, a light rose, and a touch of spice. It’s a ‘jammy’ rose, so, the fruits create a jam like aroma around that nice rose.

It’s mostly about the fruit notes here, but the dry down does become much woodier/floral, than it had been. Quite clean and juicy, with a creamy peach note. Simply great. Not a heavy fragrance, lighter and fresher aroma versus something like Love don’t be shy. My Full Review

11 Best Smelling Britney Spears Perfumes

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Britney Spears made it big in the music world before she turned her sights towards fragrance. The thing is, she didn’t just slap her name onto some cheap smelling mess of a fragrance and collect some royalties, the Britney Spears line of perfumes has some definite winners.

The current manufacturer of these perfumes is Elizabeth Arden, which has plenty of popular perfumes under their belts.  For this post, I have selected the eleven scents that I feel are the best of the bunch and could be the right choice for a specific type of taste.

Note: Updating this page, some of the perfumes are discontinued or harder to find. I’m keeping those picks on here, but have also included other new entries that I had no trouble locating for a good price.

Favorite Britney Spears Fragrances for Her

Best Overall Britney Scent

Private Show by Britney Spears EDP 3.3 OZ/100ML L– Led by coffee and dulce de leche with clementine, Private Show, has many similar elements to the popular Black Opium.

This sweet and creamy gourmand fragrance is a nice addition to a winter collection and has more maturity than the original Fantasy, which is a similar type of fragrance.

As it dries down, the floral notes emerge more (jasmine and orange blossom), and mellow out the sweetness somewhat. Overall, it’s a quite cozy and enveloping cold weather perfume that gives a good performance.

Plus, Private Show is a versatile wear suitable for many occasions and ages. Private Show Full Review

Awesome Newer Release

Festive Fantasy– There has been a wave of new releases from the Britney line over the past few years. Some of which, seem to be pretty difficult to track down, at least at a reasonable price.

While I haven’t gotten to all of them, Festive Fantasy was one that I did try out. It does have overlap with Midnight Fantasy (listed below). But, this one feels creamier and more of a sour tone blended with the sweetness, particularly after the opening.

Berries, cherry, vanilla, with a nice tart plum that feels like its been dipped in sugar.  The sillage is pretty light, but has a decent longevity. Youthful, but not completely limited to teenagers.

A nice and easy option for the autumn and winter days.

Aquatic Fruits and Flowers

Jungle Fantasy by Britney Spears– It seems as though we’re just going to be getting perfumes under the Fantasy title from here on. Maybe, there will be something different in terms of presentation soon.

However, the scents themselves are at least providing new experiences. Jungle Fantasy gives you and aquatic blend with yuzu and watermelon adding a crisp fruitiness to the top.

Not as sweet, as you’d might expect it to be. But, being a Britney perfume, definitely still there with a quiet cupcake note in the base.

Floral with water lily and an ozonic violet leaf in there too. The dry down feels like a clean watermelon, with floral highlights (sort of soapy), and that cupcake/tonka bean coming into the picture slightly.

Very likeable with just enough difference from others in the series to keep me interested.

Most Popular Britney Scent

Britney Spears Women’s Fantasy Eau de Parfum, 100 ml/3.3 oz.– Warm, flirty, and sweet. Fantasy is always a popular ladies’ fragrance and for good reason, it smells fantastic.

Fantasy is truly a sensual perfume that is quite memorable. Notes include: kiwi, white chocolate, musk, lychee, jasmine, orchid, and quince.

This one skews towards the younger crowd, with its fruity and confectionary elements. However, at it’s price point, it is a delicious example of a gourmand that has good performance and delivers on the aromatic aspect. Sweet, upbeat, and a bargain.

Note: You might want to step up to Fantasy Intense, as the original has undergone some reformulation over the years.

fantasy

Top Summer Perfume

Britney Spears Sunset Fantasy EDT Spray, 3.3 Ounce– Sunset Fantasy takes the Fantasy moniker in a fruity direction. It opens up with a zesty citrus combo of mandarin orange and grapefruit.

These notes are supported by apple and peach. It feels summery and much more tropical, than you’d think.

As it dries down, Sunset Fantasy has a much more creamy aroma with milk froth and the peach note becomes much stronger. It’s juicy, smooth, creamy, and a bit warm with amber.

This Britney perfume exudes a beachy summer vibe and has elements of a tropical drink. Good projection and performance. A very nice new addition to the lineup. Full Sunset Fantasy Review

Different and Unisex

Prerogative Rave– Out of the Prerogative line, this one was the best, in my estimation…maybe because it is very wearable for men, also.

Nonetheless, it starts out with mandarin, pear, and raspberry. This is much like the others, with a juicy fruit opening. The floral notes come through with jasmine and some lily.

But, this one certainly has a freshness and muskiness coming from the base. Cedar and musk are the leads, with those juicy fruit notes on top. Raspberry and the orange are the lead.

As it gets to the dry down, its a woody/musk blend with the remaining fruits becoming more of a sweet impression. To me, it still leans feminine, but well within the range of unisex.

Best Floral Spears Fragrance

Curious by Britney Spears for Women, Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce– A light, beautiful, floral fragrance from Britney Spears that is quite lovely and sensual. Curious is a long-lasting fragrance that is never heavy but holds a certain charm and seductive quality.

Notes include: tuberose, magnolia, sandalwood, vanilla infused musk, pear, and jasmine.

Curious is a nice option for those who want a Britney fragrance but don’t want of the sweet gourmand scents. This is much more floral with a juicy pear note, giving it that sucrose scent. White floral, with particular emphasis on the magnolia and tuberose.

curious

Fantasy Without

Naked Fantasy by Britney Spears– Naked Fantasy is another of the newer flankers to this endless Fantasy line. But, it’s a fantastic one, which easily grabs a spot in the top 10 Britney perfumes.

This one is a lighter and fruitier take on the name, but the cupcake stands as a base note. It’s a peach/apricot blend, with osmanthus, blackcurrant, and some apple influence. A good deal of juicness in the early stages, not candy sweet.

As it moves along, you start to get more of a powdery aroma from this. Still fruity, the cupcake, some amber, and that powder. Like a vanilla powder sort of scent.

Naked Fantasy is one of the more sheer and closer sitting perfumes, in this line. Just know you’re not getting a beast performer.

Great Radiance Flanker

Britney Spears Cosmic Radiance for Women, Eau De Parfume Spray, 3.3-Ounce-Cosmic Radiance is a new take on the original Radiance perfume by Britney. Cosmic is sweet and uplifting and has the versatility to be worn at work or during the nightlife.

Notes include: White Floral, Mandarin Orange, Litchi, Creamy Sandalwood, Soft Vanilla, And Amber.

It actually has a lot in common with the aforementioned Curious. The white floral notes and pear note are involved here, but sit underneath vanilla and mandarin orange notes. This is a fruity/floral, rather than, a white floral alone.

cosmic

Sweet and Powdery Fantasy

Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3-Fluid Ounce– A sweet blend of fruit and floral notes that will please the senses to no end. Midnight Fantasy is a different take on the sweetness offered by the original Fantasy but one which really stands out.

Notes include: Framboise, Black Cherry, Musk, Night Blooming Orchid, Vanilla, Plum, Freesia, Amber, Iris.

Plum and black cherry add a tart fruitiness to the Fantasy name. It’s clean and slightly dark with a creamy vanilla note circulating throughout. Sweet yet powdery with the iris note providing the main thrust of the floral accord.

midnight

Clean and Very Nice Fruity Perfume

Believe Britney Spears by Britney Spears For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3-Ounces-Believe is a soft and lightly fruity fragrance that is great for everyday use. It is a more mature kind of scent versus some of the others which get labeled as girly.

Fruits, patchouli, with some other warmth and spice. A fairly unique take on a classic fruitchouli type of scent.

The citrus and floral notes blend to make this a very pleasant experience. Notes include: Linden Blossom, Tangerine, Honeysuckle, Amber, Praline, Patchouli.

believe

6 Fragrances Similar to Ari by Ariana Grande

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Ariana Grande has really had huge success with her perfume releases since the initial Ari, released back in 2015. While some of the newer fragrances get more attention now, Ari is still a great little scent and one that people will often look to in order to find comparable aromas.

In this post, I want to present six options which can potentially fit that bill. I will also come back and update the page as needed, when I find some more options that can sort of match what we’re looking for.

What Perfumes Smell Similar to Ari?

I have yet to come across and exact one to one of Ari by Ariana Grande. However, there are plenty that come close, and these five are my picks.

Between Ari and Viva La Juicy

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Pink Friday is one that strikes a chord that is somewhere between Viva La Juicy and Ari. It does start out even fruitier than either, with blackberry, pear, orange and starfruit.

Kind of citrusy and more tropical. Yet, it will dry down with the same vanilla aroma and caramel, in lieu of the marshmallow note. 

A lot of these celebrity perfumes seem to hit this similar style as one another. This doesn’t exactly copy Ari, but can provide you something different, that you may enjoy a bit more.

Fruity Sweet Princess

Vera Wang Princess by Vera Wang for Women – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray– Princess has been an insanely popular cheapie for a long time. It just so happens to be quite a bit similar to our Ariana Grande perfume.

This one uses apple and guava, as its fruity notes up top. Then, you get vanilla and chocolate as the sweet gourmand ingredients. Also, floral notes in the heart.

Probably a bit lighter than Ari is and might skew a somewhat more to the younger side. Though, you get nice performance out of it.

Similar Composition, Very Inexpensive

Passport Paris Eau-de-toilette Spray Women by Paris Hilton, 1 Ounce– Passport Paris is another fruity sweet floral scent with a very similar structure to Ari.

This one is peach and berries with the warmth of vanilla and woods in the base. The floral notes aren’t the same, but you get a nice peony and jasmine in this one. Yes, the bottle looks kind of like a ‘my first perfume’ for younger girls, but this is actually a nice cheapie.

Is it an exact Ari like scent? Definitely not, but you get some overlap, and something that can stand well on its own.

 

 

Pear and Vanilla Syrup 

Women’s Perfume La Belle Jean Paul Gaultier EDP– A bit more mature than Ari is, but Le Belle also gives you a great pear note, floral heart, and vanilla/musk in the base. The vanilla is stronger in this JPG versus our target, which uses marshmallow to a greater degree than its own vanilla.

It turns warm, floral, with that big vanilla/pear combination and a sugary quality throughout. La Belle is a warmer fragrance with a somewhat burnt quality to that sugary finish. A bit thick and syrupy with a vetiver note adding a fresh dryness.

Again, not going to be an exact of Ari, but an interesting and great performing choice.

Citrus, Sweet, and a Good Deal Close

Amor Amor– Cacharel’s Amor Amor leans more towards the citrus side of the fruits than Ari. The lily of the valley and rose notes, create an familiar feeling like that found in our target. The upper half of the fragrance is a blend of fruits, floral notes, and woods.

Then, the vanilla note comes in to give this one warmth and creaminess, that is only bolstered by the tonka bean and amber.

To me, Amor Amor is like a blend of Viva La Juicy, Ari, and Clinique Happy. But, I really do pick up on those Ari similarities. Great perfume.

amoramor

 

Alternative Ariana

Mod Blush by Ariana Grande– Mod Blush isn’t the same as Ari, though, it does have similarities. Think of it as an alternative for those who want a similar style to Ari, by the Ariana Grande brand itself.

This one is fruitier, almost tropical with how it presents itself.

Raspberry and pear are the common denominators between them in the fruity notes. This one goes with bergamot instead of the tart grapefruit in Ari.

Passionfruit is what give it that juicy tropical vibe, which I’d say replaces what the marshmallow note brings in Ari. So, no marshmallow here.

The dry down is the pear, rose, and musk notes, mainly.

The marshmallow, orchid, raspberry, and pear are what you get with Ari. In that one, the rose and musk sit underneath. With Mod Blush, they’re more front and center in the back half of the wear.

Now, I personally don’t think this is as good as Ari or others from Ariana Grande. However, if you can get it for a discount, it can absolutely work in terms of the overlaps that these two share. Mod Blush review

 

12 Best Smelling YSL Colognes for Men

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Yves Saint Laurent is a French fashion company which produces among other things, fantastic scents. YSL is honestly one of my favorite fragrance designers, as I know I’ll always get both unique and masculine scents to wear.

YSL has produced fantastic colognes since the 1970s and many of them are not even included on this list as they are either no longer produced or just really hard to find (scents such as: YSL Pour Homme, Live Jazz, M7, and Kouros Tattoo). All worthy of a spot, just too far in the past.

For this list, I have chosen what I consider to be the twelve best smelling Yves Saint Laurent colognes for men currently available (at least online). Each of them represents a different style and situation to which to wear them in.

Note: I have updated this page from the original, to expand further, and make necessary edits. Mainly, add new one’s to the list and move discontinued fragrances towards the bottom.  Also See: Best YSL Perfumes for Ladies

Favorite Men’s Fragrances from Saint Laurent

 

Classy Event

Tuxedo by YSL– I was late to the party with this one, but man, is this a great juice. Tuxedo is one of their more expensive offerings, but is an absolute gem.

It opens up with its spicy kick of cardamom and black pepper. It’s not super massive with that spice, as it is subdued by the sweeter notes and the fact that they are swimming in a sea of warm amber.

The other layer up top is greenish, a little earthy, watery, and smoky. Mostly, patchouli and violet leaf. After that, we will transition away from the spice to a sweeter floral with notes of vanilla and rose.

It all comes together with a great balance and stylish feeling that begs to be worn while dressed up. It may not be for everyone or one specifically for daily wear, but Tuxedo is one to try and one of YSL’s best. Tuxedo Review

Vestiaire Des Parfums Pick

6 Place Saint Sulpice by YSL– So, like the other major designers, YSL has its own higher end unisex blends available under the Vestiaire des Parfums banner. 6 Place Saint Sulpice is one such offering and it is really darn good.

This one is deep and rich, more niche than the best sellers on this list. Leather, saffron, lavender, labdanum, and tonka bean.

At times it’s creamy. Then, it’ll be smoky and very woody while sitting on top of the ever-present leather note. I’ve only come across this scent once, the leather almost felt more of a suede to me. But, I’d need to spend more time with Sulpice.

This isn’t going to one for most folks. It’s warm, spice, nutty, woody, smoky. and has a lot of depth. But, for the right person, this is gold.

Now, this is going to run you in the $250 per bottle range. Also, while there are still bottles available as of posting, I’m not sure how long that is going to be the case. I believe it is now discontinued.

Best New Cologne Release and Daily Wear Pick

Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce– The newest release from YSL, that makes the list of its best. Y EDP, was released after the very nice Y EDT, but surpassed it in every way. Not only that, it was one of the best releases of 2018, and a top offering from Yves Saint Laurent.

Y EDP opens up with a crisp freshness provided by a blend of: bergamot, apple, and ginger. It is blended perfectly and grabs one’s attention, from the start. After that, comes the warmth and creaminess of tonka bean and amberwood, which is further freshened by juniper.

This one has outstanding longevity of over 10 hours, on my skin, and a solid but not overly loud sillage. It is clean, with moments of sweetness, herbal aromas, and underlying woodiness. I had to update this list, to include Y EDP. It seems like it’s catching on now and getting its just due.

Y EDP is their best current release, in my opinion (vintage bottles of other entries notwithstanding). I also like Le Parfum and Elixir from this series, Y EDP Review

 

Flanker L’Homme

L’Homme EDP– There’s been a long list of flankers stemming from the original L’homme release by YSL. Some, were really good and sadly long gone. Others, not so much.

Eau de Parfum was released from the brand in 2022 and is one of the better colognes to be under the L’Homme banner.

Bergamot and bitter orange open things up. It’s sweet, juicy, feels ambery, and you get the oak and cognac combination also coming through. It’ll dry down into something that is more woody, earthy, with notes of geranium and lavender also making an appearance.

The performance is just okay. I wish it was beefed up more and I got more time with the opening act. Still, this is a release from the line worth trying. L’Homme EDP Review

Most Popular Cologne

Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce
A soft, casual, long-lasting, and fantastic smelling cologne from Yves Saint Laurent. This is another one that turns the heads of the ladies and it is masculine without being in your face about it. Cardamom provides a warm spice, which is then met with a calming lavender note.

The composition is also quite woody with a dry freshness from the combo of cedar and vetiver. This has been a best seller for a decade, at this point.

Simple, straight to the point. I will say, that recent bottles, have seemed weaker than in the past. Yet, La Nuit is still among YSL’s best men’s perfumes.

Update: I’ve got a full bottle of this and L’Homme from 2021 and the longevity has gotten really bad for both. Like, 2-3 hours. They can be had for a lower price usually, but just be prepared to reapply, if you decide to go this route. Still smells great, just weak.

Notes include: Vetiver, Cedar, Coumarin, Floral notes, Bergamot, Lavender, Cardamom. Review

 

 

Best La Nuit Flanker

La Nuit de L’Homme Bleu Électrique– This is a newer release for 2021, that I only tried once, but it’s a worthwhile addition to the list. I still do need to spend more time with Bleu and give it a full and proper review.

It is pretty close to the one above, but with a noticeably fresher opening act with the ginger note and a greater use of the lavender note versus the very cardamom focused original La Nuit.

The citrus up top also seemed stronger to me, but it’s been a while since I’ve had a bottle of the old stuff.

Performance was much better, but again I need to test it out more. One noticeable difference is the tonka bean in the base, similar to that found in Eau Electrique (listed below).

Top Herbal/Woods Fragrance Pick

Jazz By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces
A harder to find classic from the late 1980s. Jazz is a spicy floral based cologne that has a knack for attracting women. Jazz is a throwback fragrance, to a time before you had a bunch of aquatics, and the same ambroxan-laden colognes that you have today.

Update: Not sure if this has been completely discontinued or if Jazz is still available in some markets.

It is green, herbal, spicy, fresh, and captivating. Masculine and mature, not overpowering, but subtle in its confidence. Jazz has a slightly soapy aroma, but with more woods and spice. There are still bottles floating around of Jazz.

Live Jazz was also another awesome scent, but I haven’t seen that one in quite a while, and they never re-released it. Notes include: sandalwood, rose, spices, and amber. Jazz EDT Full Review

jazz

Top Classic Masculine Laurent Scent

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray
Another very attractive scent from YSL. Like Jazz, it has a blend of floral notes and spicy one too but Kouros adds undertones of woods to give it that extra depth. This one is intense. This dates back to the early 1980s, and as such, has been reformulated and changed with time.

I can’t say what it originally was like, but from all accounts, it was an absolute bomb. I know it from mid-2000s onward. Kouros is not one for everybody, some will love it, while others will detest it. At times it is clean and bright, at others, dirty and rough.

Today, it really doesn’t strike me as being all that dirty. Early stages of spice, aldehydes giving it a fresh brightness, and an ever-present musk. Later, it’s sweeter, has leather, and a classic floral finish.

This is going to come across as completely different from other parfums pour homme, that are usually released nowadays. The 80s, was a time of lots of super bold and masculine scents. and Kouros was absolutely one of them. Kouros Full Review

kouros

Honorable Mentions

Best YSL Winter Perfume Pour Homme

Yves Saint Laurent Body Kouros for Men, Eau De Toilette, 3.3 Fluid Ounce
Great casual cologne which is a favorite of mine in the winter months. It blends eucalyptus, incense, and woods for a candy sweet fragrance with a bit of spice.

Kouros Body, is a very unique fragrance, that was released by YSL back in 2000.

Really, there’s nothing else that smells quite like it, due to the ingredients it used. It’s actually one of my favorites from YSL, but it’s not really produced anymore, so it’ll go in this section.

The main note is bezoin that is paired with a smokey incense note and a somewhat medicinal eucalyptus. It is very smooth, with an enveloping warmth, and a light spice within the sweetness powered by sage. It is very simple and super fresh.

The sillage was always pretty moderate, but it has a solid wear time. However, when women got close to me while I was wearing this, it usually got me complements. Not too many guys wear this and I was glad to stand out. I reviewed Kouros Body here

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Most Unique YSL

Opium By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces– This gets moved to the honorable mentions now, since it’s been discontinued for a long time and those last bottles that YSL did produce, kind of lost a step with the quality/performance.

A rather warm and soft cologne that is great for fall and winter. Opium is an exotic and spicy scent with notes of vanilla which help to mellow it out. It opens up with that warm spice and a black currant note, that can be quite tart/sharp, however it is subdued in this one.

Balsam is highly present within the composition and creates a warm cloud, and to me, gives Opium its exotic and dream-like quality.

As the black currant settles, the spice from the anise and pepper take center stage, and boost the freshness of this cologne. Next, it turns sweeter, due to the familiar scent of vanilla which is sitting on top of a cedar base.

My bottle of Opium EDT, always gave me awesome performance, with a bold sillage and over 10 hours of wear. It is another cold weather fragrance and one that has always gone underappreciated.

Update: I still see bottles of this around. But, I bought a bottle of the EDT (and vintage EDP original), and the latest EDT they put out really doesn’t have the same vibe or performance.

Notes include: vanilla, ginger, pepper,  cedar,  balsam. I reviewed Opium here

opium

Most Underrated YSL Fragrance for Men

Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’Homme Eau Electrique Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3 Fl Oz– Eau Electrique was released a few years ago, to little fanfare, and is still quite underrated. I think that it is completely unfair, because this fragrance, is sneaky good. It is a flanker of La Nuit, but doesn’t really resemble its predecessor.

Electrique is creamy and smooth, with a powdery finish. Lots of tonka bean, geranium, crisp apple, vanilla and a fresh woody base featuring cedar. The performance is good, not overpowering, but quite a great wear in the autumn and winter months.

Not a ground breaking cologne, but this is really a pleasant fragrance to wear, and one which gets noticed. I’ve been hoping that this one would get cheap, so I could scoop up a really inexpensive bottle, but that hasn’t come to pass as of yet. Nevertheless, I think it’s a very worth perfume for men. Eau Electrique Review.

Myslf

 

Myslf Le Parfum by YSL–  I’m listing Le Parfum as the one that I personally prefer out of the two of these. However, it’s not a cologne for everyone, as it is much more floral-centric versus Myslf EDP.

That one is a blast of bergamot citrus, before the emergence of a lighter orange blossom note. Le Parfum is a heavier use of orange blossom, with a spicy kick, woods, patchouli, and vanilla coming through.

Le Parfum has the better performance and I think that it is better put together overall. But, EDP is a crowd pleaser and something that probably easier to wear and more approachable for most guys. Myslf EDP review

 

7 Best Smelling Frederic Malle Fragrances for Men

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Frederic Malle fragrances are both quite niche and also quite expensive. It is pretty cool how each one is designed by a particular perfumer, who gets credit on the bottle itself, in italic letters. Anyway, there are a lot of options from this line now, and many of them are unisex.

So, I wanted to create a list of the best options for men to consider, and it’s going to be composed of both unisex and some specifically male colognes.

Each of these, I think, brings something different to the table and was crafted by some fantastic perfumers. As such, there should be at least one option for everybody.

Favorite Frederic Malle Colognes for Him

Top Overall Malle Scent

Frederic Malle – Bruno Jovanovic – Monsieur for men 1.7 ounce 50ml NIB 2015 year– Not usually a huge fan of patchouli, but I’ll admit when it is done right, it can be an amazing note. That’s the case with Monsieur.

This fragrance done by Bruno Jovanovic utilizes patchouli in a way that is blended with cedar woods and rum. Monsieur has a smoky and warm quality, with enough spice, and a slight citrus undertone. It all feels dry, bold, and rather comforting.

Monsieur is a massive fragrance. The sillage does settle down, but it can be quite powerful upon opening. It also has a really dark quality to it, sort of like Man in Black by Bvlgari, but it goes in a different direction from that cologne.

The booze and the earthy combination is really great. What an interesting fragrance.

Green/Herbal Fragrance

Frederic Malle French Lover Eau de Parfum 3.4 Oz/100 ml New In Box.– Woodsy, earthy, with incense spices. French Lover is a rather unique experience, with familiar notes such as vetiver and cedar.

Plus, lesser known ingredients like the dominant angelica. This is a super green and earthy scent, quite mossy, with a dash of early morning dew. Mature and refined. As it dries down, French Lover shows more of its woodsy side, with some slight smokiness provided by incense.

It finishes off as a mossy green scent, with a dry freshness headed up by the cedar note. Rather unique scent, but, has a familiarity to it due to its note selection. Lots of depth and character.

Leathery Moon

The Moon by Frederic Malle– Really great perfume here and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed smelling this scent.

The Moon is a rose and oud tinged leather perfume designed by Julien Rasquinet. Usually, this mix of notes isn’t something that I personally enjoy very much. In this blend?

The oud isn’t overbearing or too ‘barnyard’ and the rose is used in a lighter way, especially the further you get.

As it dries down, you get a fuller experience with the leather note, which will be the main focus. Before that happens, you have a berry based fruity accord, the raspberry note being the most prominent.

It’s fruity, it’s floral, woody, and then dries down into that leather based aroma. This one is rich, deep, complex, and takes some fairly overused note combinations and The Moon makes it it’s own.

It’s a Jungle Out There

Synthetic Jungle- Synthetic Jungle is another one with a greenish aroma. However, in this case it is a much more floral focused scent than is French Lover.

Lily of the valley, jasmine, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang inhabit the heart of this Anne Flipo creation. A good kick of basil up top, but it doesn’t have that earthy feeling. This is a fresh and aromatic floral.

The galbanum seems heavier in the mix in the opening stages, supported by the basil. Then, it will move on to being more of the lily of the valley. Touches of jasmine and moments where the ylang-ylang really comes through.

An interesting one, nice depth and performance. Not my personal style, but this is a great unisex example of this kind of floral fragrance.

Best Seller by Malle

Musc Ravageur by Frederic Malle 100ml– Musc Ravageur is one built for the colder days of the year. It’s a warm embrace of sweet notes and musk. Vanilla and tonka bean are of course here, as well as the cinnamon note.

It’s fresh and somewhat gourmand, but with a musk note infused into all of it. Furthermore, there is a spicy element with the aforementioned cinnamon, amber, and cloves. Such an interesting fragrance and quite sensual.

There are so many fragrances with a lot of the same notes, but the musk, and the composition sets this apart.

Underrated Frederic Malle

NOIR EPICES by FREDERIC MALLE 3.4oz/100ml-A warm and spicy unisex fragrance with a juicy orange note giving Noir Epices a citrus edge. Then, there is rose and geranium.

Plus, a plethora of different spices from pepper to cinnamon to cloves and more, which creates a completely unique aroma. With all of those spicy ingredients, it can of course be loud, but for those who love that sort of thing this fragrance offers a fantastic experience.

The orange note opens and is blended with the spicier notes, mainly cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

While it does pack a punch in the beginning, it actually isn’t a ‘heavy’ sort of scent. In fact, it can be worn in warmer weather and hold up just fine. The spice is clean and not an overwhelming cloud.

Unique Vetiver

Frederic Malle ‘Vetiver Extraordinaire 50ml/1.7 Fl Oz’– Dry, earthy, and very woody. Vetiver of course, leads the way, and is joined by cedar and sandalwood. Smooth outdoorsy smell, that manages to not feel too ‘dirty’, thanks to orange and bergamot notes.

The citrus isn’t too strong, but it’s there and noticeably flanking the vetiver, and competes with a layer of pepper. It makes the vetiver note stand out, as extra bright and uplifting. The opening act has a spicy edge to it, but that gets smoothed out over time.

It’s a vetiver scent, but not a ‘pure’ vetiver and Extraordinaire, gives you enough other notes to make it a unique option. Really nice performance and can be worn in a wide variety of situations.