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!

7 Awesome Azzaro Colognes for Men

by

Loris Azzaro has been a house which has created popular and affordable men’s perfumes since the 1970s. These scents aren’t anything that out there or niche in any way, however, the colognes smell good and give guys an opportunity to wear different types of scents without breaking the bank to do it. Which is why, some of these scents have been best sellers for decades.

Here, I will keep track of the releases from Azzaro and add or subtract to the list based on new releases and availability.

Note: I have come back to this page to update it, some five-plus years after the fact, and make some changes to the list.

Favorite Azzaro Perfumes for Him

The New Best Wanted Cologne

The Most Wanted for Men– Wanted by Night had been my favorite from this Azzaro line. However, it has now been succeeded by The Most Wanted, which is better than either of the previous incarnations.

The Most Wanted opens up sweeter with a bit of spice. The cardamom note, actually plays two roles, spicy and giving it the impression of a lemon-like fruitiness. Beyond that, you get smooth caramel and bourbon vanilla to make this a delicious gourmand.

Nonetheless, it isn’t a thick or super heavy fragrance. The Most Wanted actually comes across as fresh with vetiver and a woody green aroma wafting up from the base. The performance is great and this is one that can easily be a romantic wear or nightlife classic.

Update: This is my favorite of the line and from this brand. The Most Wanted Parfum is right up there too. But, I still prefer this version slightly more.  The Most Wanted Review

The Popular Best Seller

Chrome Cologne for Men 3.4 fl. oz Eau De Toilette– A very clean and fresh cologne that can become a man’s daily wear fragrance at a very inexpensive price. Chrome is simple yet a quite potent blend of citrus notes.

Chrome starts off with it strong juicy citrus notes of pineapple and lemon, giving the cologne a bright and upbeat disposition. These two are joined by a very nice neroli, giving chrome a further semi-soapy cleanliness.

During the wear, you will notice aquatic aromas, a slight metallic air, and woods at the base. Chrome is a classic, still has a good performance, and smells great all these years later. Very easy to wear and perpetually popular. Chrome review

chrome

The Dry Classic

Azzaro Pour Homme Eau de Toilette, 1.7 Fl Oz– A masculine throwback to the 1970s, yet, it doesn’t feel dated. Azzaro blends many notes including leather, lavender, wood, and sandalwood. It is woodsy, herbal, and spicy.

At the start, I get anise and cedar, with a dry mossy scent coming through. The spice actually comes across as refreshing and cool, rather than, being a warm sharp hit. The spice, paired with lavender and leather, gets smoothed out and calmed.

Azzaro Pour Homme is best used during the autumn months through early spring. The performance is still great and hasn’t been watered down over the years. An excellent choice for guys who want a mature, fresh, and woodsy scent.  My full Azzaro Review

Citrus Spice, Classic Style

Azzaro Nĭght Tĭme Cologne for Men 3.4 fl. oz Eau De Toilette Spray– I’ll include this one as one of the best, although I really don’t care for the bitter orange note.

That note reminds me too much of Terre D’Hermes or L’eau D’Issey Nuit, both of which I didn’t like, though many other people seem to.

I don’t think this one is as bad as those two colognes but since this enjoys some popularity among Azzaro scents, I’ll throw it on here for you to try out. In cold weather, it’s actually pretty nice. Rhubarb and citrus, for much of the wear, with a fresh spice and woods underneath.

I think this one has been discontinued, so, you’ll have to track down the bottles online. Azzaro Night Time review

Unique Spicy Profile

Onyx by Azzaro – Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 oz– It has a spice and green sort of feel to it from the patchouli note. It also has apple, bergamot, and lemon which adds a citrusy sweet profile to it. Onyx is a good scent for the winter months and one that projects very well.

Onyx starts off with a that nice citrus/fruity profile, with lavender, and the underlying spice of basil. Basil, among other spices, will be featured more during the dry down with an added leather ingredient.

Bottles of this are still available, the performance is actually very solid, and it’s usually available for pretty cheap. Nice spicy scent with the ability to be used in the nightlife.

onyx

The Second Best Wanted Fragrance

Azzaro Wanted By Night Eau De Parfum, 1.7 Fl Oz– Wanted by Night is a cologne that is better than the fragrance it followed, Azzaro Wanted. For a while, it was the best of the Wanted line up, before being surpassed by The Most Wanted colognes.

This one is spicier with less of the sharp citrus notes. Yes, the lemon is still present, but it doesn’t strike my nose with the same intensity. Cinnamon and fresh cedar, give this a dynamic and interesting composition to work from.

Really bold with that spice early on. Which is great, since I personally love the use of cinnamon as a note.

It can start out as sweet and spicy, then it begins to turn warmer, with an underlying tobacco note that is quite prominent. I wasn’t too much of a fan of the original Wanted, but Wanted by Night is definitely an improvement.  Wanted by Night Review

A Newer Chrome

Chrome Extreme– Chrome Aqua was another one that was pretty good. However, Extreme is a bit better and has a fairly close resemblance to AdG Profondo, but not entirely.

Chrome Extreme is a fresh, orangey aquatic scent, without the metallic soapiness of the original (there will be some soapiness later in the wear, though).

The juniper pairing with the orange note here, is probably the highlight. The oceanic saltiness will come on and give this one an added pleasant smell.

The dry down has more of the amber note with the orange. Nice and clean. The performance is good here, not incredible, with a moderate sillage overall. It’ll give you a few hours of solid projection before quieting down much more.

There have been a ton of flankers to Chrome, but this is the best of the recent ones, that you can actually still find bottles of. Many of the others, have been forgettable, though.

9 Best Smelling Aerin Perfumes

by

Aerin Lauder has become a very well-known and well-liked designer on her own, despite having the lofty Lauder name to live up to (granddaughter of Estee). From home décor, to beauty, to fashion the Aerin line has expanding its reach quite a bit…while still under the EL umbrella.

However, the perfumes remain a very popular aspect of this brand to serve as an entry point to luxury. There have been dozens of releases thus far, but in this post I want to narrow down the list to nine that I feel can represent the best of the label.

Favorite Fragrances by Aerin Lauder

Most Popular Aerin Perfume

AERIN Beauty Mediterranean Honeysuckle Eau de Parfum 50 ml by AERIN – Citrus and honeysuckle delight. Bergamot, orange, and grapefruit open up the fragrance with a lively and zesty scent.

The honeysuckle sits underneath at first, before emerging later on, and fully presenting itself. This is a very clean and juicy citrus scent reminiscent of other Italian citrus fragrances on the market, with the honeysuckle pairing that is awesome.

The opening citrus can be sharp for a little while, but I think that Mediterranean Honeysuckle, has a really great finish that is airy and clean. Once they calm down and play a support role, is when this Aerin best seller really shines.

It is a pretty simple one to go with, but the honeysuckle is pretty darn realistic. May not be the best of the lost, but still among the top Aerin Lauder releases.

Top Pick for Rose Lovers

Aerin Rose De Grasse Parfum Spray 1.7oz/50ml- The namesake is the rose centifolia note from the Grasse region in France (same place the Chanel No.5 jasmine comes from). However, it is blended with a few other rose notes including Bulgarian.

This is a very straightforward wear. You can expect a surprisingly fresh and dynamic rose aroma that is of high quality and paired with musk, a watery aroma, and a light ambrette.

The sillage is soft with decent longevity, but Rose de Grasse is very versatile and doesn’t get stuck in just one season.

Early on, it will feel more aquatic and fresh. Then, the muskiness gains in strength, as well as a drier aroma.

The Other Rose

Rose de Grasse Rouge– As an extension of the option below, you can also try the newer Rose line release, this time focusing on the aroma of the red rose.

An elegant and fresh scent mixing the rose note itself with rose water, creating a full bouquet-like effect for the wearer. Ozonic and some stem greenish features in the opening from the violet leaf

Then, it will move into that full-bodied petal of the red rose and a touch of sweet solidity from the honeycomb extra. Nice performance and one of the better red rose perfumes that I’ve come across.

If you like more of a pinkish and slightly more musky fragrance, go with the first Rose de Grasse. Red? Pick up a bottle of this.

Super Clean for Summer

Aerin Lauder Waterlily Sun Perfume Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– Waterlily Sun is a very nice greenish/aquatic floral fragrance with notes of jasmine, waterlily, and bergamot coming through. This is more of an aquatic feeling scent in totality versus the one above.

It opens up with the fresh bergamot citrus and the waterlily notes. The fragrance is bright and dewy, like a pond in a flower garden.

Yet, Waterlily Sun comes across as a cooling summertime wear and not just an overly juicy fruit salad.

As it dries down, you get more of the jasmine and musk notes, which furthers the theme of it being clean. This is an easy wear for the spring and summer months, not too complicated, but beautiful and upbeat.

Vanilla Amber for Autumn/Winter

Aerin Lauder Aerin Beauty ‘tangier Vanille’ Eau De Parfum Spray, 1.7 Fluid Ounce– Tangier Vanille starts out with a musky/powdery quality to the vanilla note. It’s the rose, bergamot, and musk notes really joining forces early on which can make this one seem a bit awkward.

However, it does tone down and the vanilla really emerges to take over fully. The bergamot will fade and amber along with sandalwood, start to make Tangier Vanille more of a gourmand experience.

That’s what you get: vanilla, light rose, amber (second strongest note), sandalwood, and some remaining muskiness. It’s smooth with a somewhat spicy kick underneath the shift from powdery to creamy.

Tangier has a nice ability to project and can be worn pretty much whenever, outside of the high heat of summer.

Underrated Citrus Perfume

Aerin Limone di Sicilia Body Cream– One of the less well known fragrances from Aerin, but Limone di Sicilia is a fantastic citrus fragrance, with a light floral heart that is led by the jasmine note.

The citrus trio here is lemon, bergamot, and mandarin orange. The floral notes are nice in this perfume, but the true highlight is how uplifting and refreshing these citrus ingredients are. Mostly the lemon, along with the sparkling bergamot note.

Beyond that, lily of the valley and pink pepper also play a role to give this one a bit more body. It’s pretty much a summertime play, with a fairly light profile, but a fragrance that is inherently enjoyable to wear.

The latter stages is pretty much a light lemony jasmine perfume. Still, very nice.

Warm, Sweet Amber and Musk

Aerin Lauder Amber Musk Eau De Parfum for Women, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– I will say that this won’t be a perfume for everyone, as it can be light, and the notes aren’t super bold or attention grabbing. That said, the ambrox/benozin/musk blend here is really attractive.

Warm, a bit sweet with coconut and vanilla, and a tiny bit of rose to add a floral dimension. Most of the wear is going to be the amber and the musk, obviously.

However, I really like the dimension that the benzoin adds to it, shortly after the opening act. That along with the sweetness is fantastic.

It dries down, mostly with the musk some rose, and the amber. This is probably the lightest scent on this list, so avoid if you want a stronger wear, because Amber Musk will stick close to the skin. Amber Musk is something that is more of a low key affair.

Realistic Lilac Perfume

Aerin Lilac Path Eau De Parfum Spray Large 3.4 Oz– Another greenish flower garden scent, this time with less aquatic tones, and of course a bunch of lilac. As the Aerin website describes, Lilac Path weaves a delicate story of crisp greens, rich blooms and delicate petals.

The lilac here is fantastic and it, along with jasmine, are going to be heading up much of the wear.

So, if you don’t like either of those notes, you can pass on this perfume. While it doesn’t have that waterlily semi-aquatic feeling, this still does have a green sort of dewy freshness.

Most of what I get outside of the title note is jasmine and galbanum. To my nose, there isn’t much else except a general ‘greenish’ scent. Is that enough? Well, yes, if you love lilac this is absolutely a perfume that you should try out.

Ambrette Uniqueness

Ambrette de Noir– This Aerin fragrance came out back in 2020, but I don’t think that it got too much attention. Though, I do think it deserves to be on the list, even while not being a perfume which will appeal to everyone.

Ambrette, tonka bean, and vanilla are all substantial in this blend. But, you also get floral notes like rose, orange blossom, and freesia.

Somewhat sweet, but warm, musky, rich, and spicy at times. There’s a lot of facets for something that isn’t seemingly so complex. Ambrette does indeed have a darker feel and this is one to wear in the late autumn and winter months.

The floral notes aren’t particularly powerful, but they do often pop through the other notes for periods of time, before falling away again. Interesting.

best aerin perfumes

12 Amazing Cotton Candy Scented Perfumes

by

Growing up, I think we all have a definite memory of smelling cotton candy, whether at a carnival or some other attraction. As a note in perfumes, it really isn’t used all that often, and gets associated with ‘girly’ scents aimed at a younger demographic.

However, there are some quality cotton candy fragrances out there, that can indeed appeal to all ages.

In this post, I want to present twelve options for those who want a perfume with this note, as the lead. Some will be inexpensive options, while others will creep up toward the higher end of things.

Great Perfumes that Smell Like Cotton Candy

Note: I’ve updated the page to add some new fragrances, as many have been discontinued. I’m keeping those on the list, since they are still available in places, if you really want to check out those perfumes.

Best Smelling Perfume

La Petite Robe Noire Intense by Guerlain– The other fragrances in this Guerlain line, went with a black cherry scented aroma. Noire Intense, chooses to go the cotton candy route, with great effect.

The sweetness with La Petite Robe Noire Intense, is much more well-done than in the cheaper scents on this list. It gives you our target ingredient, along with juicy raspberry and blueberry.

Vanilla and musk provide the support for the two main notes of cotton candy and blueberry. Yes, it does deliver a pinkish cotton candy scent for a time, but ultimately becomes the blue kind you’d get at the fair.

A Fun Summer’s Day

Boardwalk Delight by Clean Beauty–  Boardwalk Delight is a great entry to the list. The cotton candy vibe is there, just like walking on a boardwalk in the summertime. You do get some added apple and raspberry sorbet notes, that add to the atmosphere.

This one feels substantial and not like a super cheap body spray. It gives you that sweetness that you want without being cloying and thick. Light and fluffy scent that matches well with the theme that it sets out to reproduce.

Clean and fun with a certain freshness in the dry down, sort of aquatic with its opening watery notes and crisp apple coming through.

Out of the recent editions to the list, Boardwalk Delight is the one that I probably enjoy the most. Maybe a tad pricey, but it does everything well.

Tropical Touch

Solo Ella EDT by Loewe– This one is kind of different, mixing in a blend of tropical fruity notes, peony, with a sustained cotton candy note.

Now, it’s not a pure cotton candy perfume, just one with a very noticeable use of the note. Ella kicks off fresh and fruity with a passionfruit note, a great juiciness, but with a creamy touch coming from the vanilla and sandalwood notes in the base.

Lots of the time will be focused on the cotton candy and that peony note. Yet, it will stay sweet beyond just our target thanks to those fruits, vanilla, and even some praline for good measure.

It does have more of an amber influence in the dry down phase. But, it retains a lot of what we’re looking for here.

Rouge with Cotton Candy

Manege Rouge by Al Haramain for Women 2.5 Oz / 75ml Eau de Parfum–  Manege Rouge is pretty close to the aroma of Baccarat Rouge 540 in terms of style.

Sweet with floral notes and an almost leathery and surprisingly good saffron note (which I love). Fairly deep perfume with layers, which gets sweeter in the middle portion. That’s where you’ll get a greater amount of cotton candy and some caramel.

It’s not a super thick or a sillage that leaves a massive trail. Just the right amount of sweetness.

Doesn’t have the same power of 540, it’s less woody, but otherwise a darn good clone of the Maison Francis Kurkdjian perfume. If you like BR 540, want more cotton candy, this is one to try.

Super Cheap Cotton Candy Scent

Cotton Candy by Body Fantasies–  Is this scent going to blow you away? No. But, the Body Fantasies edition of Cotton Candy, will deliver a very inexpensive sugar high.

Sweet, with more of a slight baked goods type of aroma. The heart of this is a mix of strawberry and synthetic candied grape, but it does a pretty nice job of delivering the cotton candy experience.

It wouldn’t be my first pick, by any means. Just a pleasant option for a very low price.

Alternative Cotton Candy Scent

Cotton Candy by Demeter– Demeter is a brand well-known for its fragrances which smell like one certain note. So, if you want an ingredient based perfume, it is usually a good cheap place to start looking.

I wouldn’t say that this one is among their best efforts, but it will give you that sugary rush with hints of vanilla. It’s almost too sweet, so, if you want something more demure pick another from the list.

Sparkling Fruit Cotton Candy 

Lacoste L.12.12 Pour Elle Sparkling Eau de Toilette Spray– Lacoste Pour Elle Sparkling is a lighter fragrance, but goes really sweet, at the start. It not only features our target note, but also blackberry, and macaron.

Underneath the initial sweetness, is some spice, and a touch of musk. As it moves further along, it is like a sweet blend with patchouli, and the remnants of the spice.

It does indeed have a ‘sparkling’ aroma to it, plenty of cotton candy, but more than just a sugar overload.

Most Unique Cotton Candy Fragrance

Byredo Sundazed by Byredo Eau De Parfum Spray (Unisex) 1.7 oz / 50ml– This is a very interesting take on the use of cotton candy. Sundazed opens up with citrus notes and neroli, with hints of jasmine dancing in the background.

In itself, that is a very common composition in perfumes, and is great when done correctly. However, a bit further along in the wear, the cotton candy scent emerges from the heart.

An orange and lemony fragrance, with our sugary note,  adding a wonderful scent to this familiar structure. Smells like summer, very clean perfume, less of a warm gourmand than others here.

Fruity Sweet Fragrance

Ralph Lauren Ralph Love Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– A flanker fragrance to the original Ralph perfume. Ralph Love is very straightforward and a simple composition, consisting of: cotton candy, rose, and apple.

It is fruity and sugary, up top, but dries down with a bit of rose in the base. The flower isn’t too strong and is firmly placed underneath the cotton candy.

The fruit here, keeps it from becoming too overdone with the sugary warmth and adds a nice crisp feeling to Ralph Love.

Update: This one is also becoming more difficult to track down.

Best Cheapie Fragrance

Pink Sugar by Aquólína for Women Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz– A delicious and energetic selection, probably best worn by the younger set. It’s both sweet and fun with ingredients such as vanilla.

This cotton candy-like perfume, has been a best seller for more than a decade and is a super gourmand, that boasts fantastic performance.

This one is starts out with a cotton candy aroma, which is followed up by caramel and licorice. It is indeed a sweet fragrance, but it surprisingly has more depth underneath, with its fig and woody base notes. Warm and captivating.

Powdery, Mixed Blend

Carolina Herrera 212 Glam Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 2.0 Ounce– 212 Glam pairs its cotton candy with toffee, at the start, which creates a gourmand sweetness right off the bat. This one, doesn’t stay completely in that sweet mode, as it does have a powdery iris which gains more traction.

The sweetness never relinquishes its grip fully, but Glam is different in that, the floral and woody notes do play a very significant role. So, probably not the top choice is you want a ‘pure’ cotton candy aroma, but a solid option for a more contemporary perfume.

It does become more about that iris and rose, in the latter stages. With the sweetness hanging around, but the cotton candy isn’t really distinct, at least to my memory.

I believe this has been discontinued. Update: Yep, looks like it. I’ve seen bottles still floating around for sale, however.

Tough to Find, But Delicious

Play It Pin Up by Playboy– The Playboy line of scents can be really hit or miss, but they are very inexpensive, and worth a chance. Play It Pin Up is one of the good fragrances from this line and chock full of cotton candy.

It’s warm with a balance of fruits, the cotton candy, and patchouli. The patchouli adds some depth and holds the perfume together. It’s sugary with hints of chocolate. If you can find a bottle (there’s some online), it would be another good bet for teenagers.

Dylan Blue vs Luna Rossa Carbon Cologne Comparison

by

Alrighty, it’s been a minute since I’ve done a head to head cologne comparison on the site. So today, we are going to do one between Versace’s Dylan Blue versus Prada’s Luna Rossa Carbon. Which of these scents smells better? Which one performs more impressively? Is there a clear winner out of either of these scents? Please continue below for my full matchup breakdown.

Tale of the Tape: Carbon vs. Dylan Blue

Dylan Blue

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

Luna Rossa Carbon

Notes include: lavender, ambroxan, metallic notes, pepper, patchouli, coal, bergamot

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa CARBON for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 ounce

Opening

The opening of Dylan Blue is a citrus affair with the grapefruit and bergamot notes taking center stage. However, it has a certain aquatic feel and a noticeable contribution from the black pepper note.

Meanwhile, Luna Rossa Carbon, has the citrus of the bergamot top note but it is joined by a more intense ambroxan and lavender. There is also a pepper note and a hint of that metallic aroma, which gives it it’s Carbon name.

Which is better? Well, both of these scents get compared to Dior Sauvage, and Luna Rossa Carbon is much more in line with that from the start. I like the more nuanced approach of the Prada fragrance over Dylan Blue.

The Versace is a typical citrus at the stage and actually has reminded me of Acqua Di Gio Profumo in the past. Though, much sweeter and without the metallic influence. It’s nice, but I find Carbon to be better.

I have grown to enjoy the opening act of Dylan Blue more, over the years since its release. The fig note really stands out and it can be a nice fragrance to throw on.

Edge: Luna Rossa Carbon

Projection

They both start out fairly strong and perhaps Dylan Blue has better sillage at the start. However, it settles into something more moderate. It’s citrus and fig at the start, really gives it a good ability to project, but that subsides.

Now, Luna Rossa Carbon also turns moderate, it still has better and more consistent projection than that of Dylan Blue.

At their peak, it’s close to the same, but the Prada keeps things going for a longer time period. Neither of these is a heavy fragrance to wear. A good initial reach, before settling into something that’s pretty standard.

Edge: Carbon

Longevity

No matter how many times I wear Dylan Blue, it seems to only last 5-6 hours on my skin each time. That’s okay, just not outstanding.

Carbon, on the other hand, can last all day on my skin and can get into the double digit hours on most wears. The Prada cologne just has better performance. Carbon just really works on me, for whatever reason. Performance is extremely good for a popular designer scent.

Edge: Carbon

Versatility

I don’t see either one of these fragrances having much of an edge in terms of when or where you can wear each. The are both very versatile fragrances that can be worn casually or out on a date or wherever.

Carbon is more mature than is Dylan Blue. So, it might have a bit of an edge as to who will want to wear either.

I don’t consider either to be a truly formal scent, but I’d also go with the Prada if pressed. Carbon is more well put together overall, while also having a better balanced mix than the Versace.

Edge: Carbon (slightly)

Overall Scent

I’ve always found Dylan Blue to be decent at best. Although, I have enjoyed it somewhat more lately, than I used to. Sometimes, that opening act, particularly the fig note can be a very enjoyable wear.

Beyond that, it’s okay, just not something that I want to wear all of the time. It’s not a bad choice, if you can get a bottle for cheap.

However, I’m going to give the nod to Luna Rossa Carbon. It’s not a personal favorite of mine either, but it’s better than the Versace.  Carbon has a similar profile to that of Sauvage, but enough differences to make it distinct.

The citrus and ambroxan get downplayed as it dries down and Carbon gives you a lavender and metallic sort of vibe. It also has much better performance than Dylan Blue does.

Luna Rossa Carbon is a clear cut winner to me, in this head to head matchup. Both are really nice colognes, neither amazing, but Carbon is better.

Winner: Luna Rossa Carbon

8 Best Smelling Abercrombie & Fitch Fragrances

by

The Abercrombie & Fitch name is utterly synonymous with late 90s and early 00s teen/college-aged fashion. The stores in malls across the globe pump an upbeat soundtrack into the shop and the smell of Fierce, would permeate the room.

Over the years, this fashion company has released plenty of fragrances for both men and women, many of which have been well received. In this post, I want to go over what I consider to be the eight best smelling men’s colognes by A&F.

Favorite and Best Smelling A&F Colognes

Note: Updating this post, some options have been discontinued and/or are difficult to find. Some have alternatives, which I will link in that entry. I’m keeping the older picks on the list, regardless, while still adding new entries that are worthwhile.

Most Popular Fragrance

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Cologne 3.4 oz– The timeless best seller from Abercrombie & Fitch, Fierce has long been a staple of high school and college guys, and for good reason. It has a blast of spiciness at the start which is super fresh and seductive.

Later during the dry down, you get a super smooth blend of woodsy notes and musk, which gives it a wholly masculine air. This one has been reformulated somewhat, so, a newer bottle really doesn’t pack the same punch that it did a decade ago…but it’s still a great smell.

Maybe at its height, it could be considered the best of the A&F line. Now, I’d probably put it 2nd or 3rd, depending on my mood. There are many other scents like this around, but Fierce really got that trend line going. Fierce Review

Best New A&F Fragrance

Fierce Night– Night is one of the best Fierce flankers that has been released in a while. Plus, it’s still readily available on their website.

The bergamot note up top gives it nice citrus opening, that is paired with an initial burst of ambroxan, and feels quite bold from the jump. However, it will become smoother with lavender and a touch of sandalwood in the base.

Clean and attractive, not a massive sillage, once it settles. But, the performance is right about a solid 8 hours of wear. Much better than the current formulations of the original. It’s clean and versatile with a soapy kind of finish from the lavender.

Another Newer Gem

Abercrombie & Fitch and Fitch Authentic Men EDT Spray – It was a toss up between this and Authentic Night (which seems pretty difficult to find bottles of nowadays). But, I like the style of Authentic, even if you have to spray the hell out of it.

No, the performance isn’t great here (longevity is okay…think 5-6 hours). This is a citrus and herbal spicy fragrance that will be a great go to for the spring and summer months. Right now, I’m seeing bottles floating around for $20-40, which is a nice deal for something like this.

That bright fruity opening is great, paired with an awesome ginger note and some pink pepper touches. The spices give it a colder aroma, when together with the rest of the composition…on the same wavelength as Jimmy Choo Man Ice. Less woody, though.

Top Summer Cologne

Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Men Eau De Toilette, 3.4 Ounce– First Instinct features a gin and tonic accord, which gives it that carbonated sensation of tonic water.

It’s sweet with sort of a tropical vibe at times, along with a nice pepper note. It mellows out the sweetness some during the dry down and you get the wonderful melon note along with musk.

Some might point out Fierce Blue as the best summer scent. I disagree, I think that First Instinct is a much more interesting and better options. The melon with the fizzy gin and tonic vibe is great. Not too heavy, but a cool option to throw on in the hotter months.

Note: If you can’t find this, Dua has its inspired by fragrance: Dua’s Instinct. 

Best Winter Wear

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Icon Eau de Cologne Spray, 1.7 Ounce– Fierce Icon is an updated, yet darker and sharper version of the original Fierce. The two colognes obviously share a lot of the same DNA but this one has more pepper and citrus at play…along the line of Luna Rossa Carbon or Sauvage.

Sort of like the original Fierce blended with elements of those two fragrances. Nice, powerful, and well done. I like this one, if you can get it for a good price, Icon is a pretty unique take on the Fierce name.

The opening few hour does have a stronger sillage, but it settles down, and you get an above-average performer with elements of the original Fierce.

Light Summer Aquatic Scent

Abercrombie & Fitch Hot Eau De Cologne Spray 50ml/1.7oz– A simple, fresh, and quite pleasant take on an aquatic fragrance. Hot has a touch of coconut on top of a watery base and features the crispness of that familiar cucumber aroma.

Not too heavy, but Abercrombie Hot, gives a good performance and is a clean everyday option for guys. This can be a little bit more difficult to find, nowadays, but you can still track it down and it’s a really good and unique choice.

Being your Self

Authentic Self for Men– This one is a newer flanker of the Authentic men’s line. Authentic Self is a woody and sweet fragrance with some similarities to L’Homme by YSL (not exactly the same). Namely, the bergamot top note is missing.

But, here you get a fresh vibe from violet leaf, geranium, cypress, and some ginger spice in the early stages. The woods will persist with a further infusion of cedar. While the rest of the wear will become a creamier and sweeter aroma from the vanilla and tonka bean.

It’s noticeably different from the original Authentic scent, they do share the ginger note, but that’s most of the similarities that they have. This one is woody and that one is more of a warm weather cologne.

I’m not sure if this one has already come and gone, as I’m having a tougher time finding bottles online. However, if you do come across it for a reasonable price, Authentic Self can be a great value play as a daily wear fragrance.

Best Overall A&F Fragrance

Fierce Intense– Fierce Intense takes the crown as the top pick from Abercrombie & Fitch. Not only in terms of smell, but it also has some amazing performance. Update: This seems to be discontinued now.

Elements of Fierce, sit underneath the main accords of Fierce Intense. They don’t smell exactly the same, but they definitely show a resemblance to one another. The differences with Intense come with its delicious watermelon note, musky highlights, and fresh aquatic heart.

Beyond that, Fierce Intense gives you a bold option for the year. I think it really shines when it gets warmer, but it smells great during the winter months too. The sillage is powerful and it will go for double digits, with it’s longevity.