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!

9 Fragrances Similar to Viva La Juicy

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Viva La Juicy has been an insanely popular fragrance for over a decade now. It’s use of sweet caramel and vanilla, with fruits, and flowers has developed into sort of a go to perfume, for many girls and women.

Obviously, that success is going to see plenty of other companies try to replicate it. Thus, yielding fragrances that smell like Viva, are an almost close to it, or mimic many of the same characteristics.

In this post, I want to give you different options for her, which have a similar scent to Viva La Juicy. I will provide cheaper alternatives and a more expensive potential upgrade choice.

Perfume Alternatives to Viva La Juicy

Viva La Cheapie

Fruity by Perfect Scents– None of the main fragrance brands that do ‘inspired by’ designer scents, have had a Viva La Juicy like perfume release. But, I did find this one on Amazon by Perfect Scents called ‘Fruity’.

Now, I haven’t tried this one out, but I thought that I’d include it on the list. It’s not too difficult of a formula to have something similar smelling, there are positive reviews, and it sells for $9.99 (as of writing).

Pomegranate, plum, gardenia, vanilla, and caramel. It’s got the basic structure all there, for the price it may be worth a shot.

Fruitier and Inexpensive

Rihanna Rogue Love Eau de Parfums for Women, 4.2 Ounce– Rogue Love is a release from the pop star, that has a considerable overlap with Viva La Juicy. This one, is a bit fruitier, and less floral. You get a strong peach and some coconut, in addition to caramel and vanilla.

The orchid and jasmine, are still around, but they aren’t to prevalent in this blend. This is a really cheap option for those who want a Juicy similar fragrance. This doesn’t have the same strength, but the smell is quite close indeed.

Gucci in The Early Stages

Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci– Gucci’s Gorgeous Gardenia does have a good deal of aroma overlap with Viva. This is really the case early on, but Gucci gets more towards the floral side of things more than the Juicy Couture (even if it never goes completely floral).

The brown sugar and berry notes early on, along with mandarin is when these really seem like close cousins. Add to that, a focus on the jasmine and gardenia notes and it becomes easy to see that they’re going to have a similar vibe.

Yet, the dry down here is going to be more about the gardenia, jasmine, and patchouli notes. So, it has less of the sweetness over the course of the wear versus our target. Still you get a more refined scent when compared to VIva, but with a higher price tag. Gorgeous Gardenia Review

Victoria’s Secret Option

Victoria’s Secret Noir Tease for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Victoria’s Secret Noir Tease, doesn’t have the caramel note found in Viva, but it does bring together vanilla and chocolate. Plus, the fruit notes like mandarin, pear, and apple on top of a floral heart.

It opens very sweet with the chocolate aroma, plus mandarin, pear, and berries. Then, as it dries down, more of the vanilla comes out. This is joined by a sandalwood and amber base.

It’s not exactly the same as Viva La Juicy, but it is very close and much cheaper. I think that this has been re-branded as just, Tease. So, check to see which one is available for purchase.

Juicy Fruit Fragrance

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday perfume, leans more towards the fruity side of things, than does Viva. Nonetheless, the sweet, fun, and citrus aroma shares many of the same note and sensibility as does our target scent.

Pink Friday is really girly, starts off with pear and starfruit, which is a slightly different take on the composition than the others here. Beyond that, there is the orange and blackberry note, which makes this a super juicy fruit scent at the beginning.

Later, the familiar vanilla/caramel come in, to change things up. The performance here is decent, not spectacular, as one would expect from an inexpensive celebrity fragrance. Still, it’s a nice little pickup.

Sweet with Almond Highlights

Fancy by Jessica Simpson 100ml 3.4oz EDP Spray– Yes, it seems like all of these celebs, like to get in the fragrance game with very similar perfume compositions. Fancy by Jessica Simpson actually predates the others, and actually, is fairly distinct.

Yes, the notes are again overlapping quite a bit. However, Fancy isn’t a fruity bomb, it features a delicious almond note, and can have a dry powdery aroma during the wear.

This isn’t going to be an exact rendition of Viva, though, it offers you something similar but different enough. It’s sweet and the berry/almond notes in the beginning, let it be a more distinct fragrance.

Similar Style

Sweet Like Candy by Ariana Grande– Sweet Like Candy is a perfume from Ariana Grande which overlaps with multiple Viva La Juicy scents. Pink Couture, the original, and Sucre. Probably among others, as well.

It’s not exactly the same as any of them, but the spirit is there and the styling is within the same ballpark. The caramel note will be absent, though, and replaced with other confectionary touches.

Vanilla, blackberry, whipped cream, and of course, marshmallow pull together to form a warm and youthful candy-like aroma. Sweet Like Candy comes in an adorable little pink bottle, kicks off with its berry and pear blend, much like the next entry.

However, this one begins to shift more to a creamy, sweet, and familiar aroma. Lots of whipped cream with a vanilla touch and a great marshmallow addition. Very soft, girly, and sits beautifully in the colder weather.

Luxury Alternative

By Kilian Love Don’t be Shy Eau de Parfum Refillable Spray, 1.7 oz/50 ml– 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.

This has been made somewhat famous by Rihanna, as her signature scent, and one that apparently smells magnificent on her.

The orange blossom/neroli pairing, really plays well off of the candy-like top notes. As it dries down, jasmine starts to make itself known more, in the floral arrangement.

This is a very pretty perfume, that is good for daily wear, but can have a bold character when over-applied. Not exactly the same as Viva, but sort of an upscale version, of the scent style. Love don’t be shy review

Another Ari

Ari by Ariana Grande– This entry from Ariana, is a bit like the original Viva La Juicy, but quite a bit similar to the Noir flanker that came out a long while ago. But, it fits our purposes here.

Noir was fruitier and juicier than what you got with the original. Ari, gives you a mix of raspberry and grapefruit early. Then, more of the pear note will emerge thereafter.

What I really like here is the dry down period. Marshmallow and vanilla orchid, really brings out the comparisons with the original Viva La Juicy to me. Not as thick, doesn’t have the caramel note, but the vibe is definitely there.

To me, Ari has been one of the better releases from Ariana Grande’s perfume line, and one you should check out if you’re into the Juicy Couture scent. Ari Review

L’Homme Ideal L’Intense by Guerlain

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L’Homme Ideal is a line of men’s fragrances from Guerlain that has steadily grown over the latter half of the last decade and into this one. Some releases have been particularly difficult to get a hold of from stores in the USA. That, along with their increasingly popularity, has really driven up prices. 2018’s release was L’Homme Ideal L’Intense. I recently bought a bottle on sale, as I was curious how it related to the others in the series.

What does L’Homme Ideal L’Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: tonka bean, chili pepper, almond, cardamom, vanilla, leather, and more

Click here to try: L’homme Ideal L’intense By Guerlain FOR MEN 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray, black

My Full Review

Note: Bottles now seem to be in black instead of clear glass. It’s the same juice, just different packaging from the one I have.

L’Intense opens up with a warm and fresh spice that’s sitting on the smoothness of leather. The leather note is the backbone of this fragrance, and while it isn’t always the strongest of the lot, it is ever-present.

Chili pepper and cardamom bring the heat. That initial chili pepper is my favorite aspect of this opening act and reminds me a bit of Gucci Guilty EDP in that respect. However, that cologne has more of a rose aroma, which also happens to be a note in this Guerlain.

What’s interesting is the sweetness here. Cardamom lends a bit to it, but there does seem to be a unlisted cherry note here, as well. Some of the other fragrances in the Ideal series have that cherry note and I do get a hint of that.

Not juicy cherry, but very dry. It almost comes across as cherry with tobacco at times. Also, perhaps a touch of citrus in the opening minutes of this, along the line of the original Ideal or Cologne.

One major aspect of Ideal L’Intense is the smokiness. Very incense-like in how it comes across. I suppose you get a bit of that aroma from the sandalwood, almond and vanilla, but there is a stand alone infusion of smoke.

I mentioned the rose note earlier, but it’s almost non-existent in the mix. I can get whiffs of it, if I truly focus, though it isn’t going to jump out.

The top layer of chili pepper burns off and this starts to morph into a fragrance with a pretty strong blend of vanilla, tonka bean, and a resinous labdanum note. Early on, that resinous quality stands out to my nose.

L’Homme Ideal L’Intense has a dark profile with a smooth and a bit of a creamy finish with woody highlights and bursts of freshness. Vanilla, leather, tonka bean, and woods is how it finishes. The smoke begins to subside after that strong initial opener.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t all that powerful. In the early stages, I’d say it’s above average with how it projects and its overall strength. However, an hour or two in and it starts becoming more of a skin scent.

That process takes another hour or so. By the 3.5-4 hour mark, it is a complete skin scent with almost no power.

The longevity actually is in the 7 hour range. Maybe, 8 hours. Again, with half that time being quite weak. With the notes and the intense label, I was expecting a lot more from the L’Homme Ideal fragrance.

Its performance isn’t complete garbage or anything, but pretty run of the mill, in the grand scheme of things.

Seasonally, Ideal L’Intense is an autumn and winter wear all the way. The spice, smokiness, and vanilla/tonka/labdanum trio lends itself extremely well to the chillier temperatures.

Probably going to be a better pick for men in their mid-20s and up. Not stuffy, but there is a mature quality here.

I like it more as a nighttime fragrance. However, it isn’t overwhelming enough that it couldn’t be used in the daytime. Semi-formal, casual, nightlife, and potentially romantic wear. It’s attractive and enjoyable, very masculine.

Overall Impressions of Ideal L’Intense

Overall, do I like this scent? It’s fine. I blind bought my bottle for $90, which was a discount, and I’m really not too impressed with it.

The original and Ideal Cologne are both about equal to or better than this one. Extreme and some of the others are tougher to get ahold of in the US, but they’re better as well. Update: They also remade Cologne with the newer ‘Platine’ version.

Update: After staying with it for a few weeks, it’s grown a bit on me and I’ve given it some more points. When I first bought my bottle, I was coming off of a sinus infection, and that may have thrown me off somewhat. Now, it’s cleaner and less smoky. Still not a love for me, but this is a pretty nice wear.

2024 Update: I’ve worn this off and on for a few years. Not too much has changed with my opinion. I still like plenty of what you get with this. Other parts, are still kind of boring and the performance is just pretty good.

The opening act is the most interesting aspect. The chili, the incense like smokiness, fruity touches, and almond combine to make up my favorite part. Even then, it’s not a total love for me.

I don’t give this a strong recommendation. If you can get it for cheaper, it’s not a bad cold weather scent, and has its moments. Yet, I don’t know that it is going to get any less expensive. Even if you enjoy the smell, the performance isn’t great.

If you already love the Ideal line, you probably already know this one. If not, I’d probably start elsewhere. I don’t hate it and I will get use out of this one over the winter, it’s just not going to be my number one pick.

Santal 33 vs. Baccarat Rouge 540

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Santal 33 by Le Labo and Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 have been two of the most popular and best-selling perfumes of the past few decades. The type of fragrances that you can detect almost anywhere, when walking through a crowd.

Because of this massive success, it often becomes a two way race for many people, as to which on they’d want to buy. A bit odd, considering how different these scents are from one another. However, which of these actually is the better perfume? Continue below for my full comparison.

Tale of the Tape: Santal 33 vs. BR 540

Santal 33

Notes include: sandalwood, violet, iris, amber, cardamom, leather, papyrus, cedar

Click here to try: Santal 33 on Amazon

Read my original review: Santal 33

Baccarat Rouge 540

Notes include: saffron, hedione, cedar, ambroxan, fir resin

Click Here to try: BR 540 at Saks

Read my full review: Baccarat Rouge 504 EDP

Opening

Santal 33 starts off with a blend of cardamom, sandalwood, papyrus, leather, and violet. It has a slight spice, but nothing too much.

People do talk about a dill or a pickle juice sort of aroma with Santal 33. I’ve never gotten too much of that, personally. For some, it may be more prominent, but I doubt it for most people.

Leather and the papyrus are the two interesting notes here to me. Otherwise, this opening act is kind of uninspiring, in my opinion. Later, the development becomes softer, woodier, with a powdery finish. That’s much better.

With Baccarat Rouge, we begin with the saffron note and the jasmine. It’s clean with a resinous and woody base. To me, the jasmine note has a bit of a lemon sort of finish to it. Nothing massive, but it’s always there on me.

Somewhat spicy at times, but the ambroxan notes are really going to start coming through very early in the wear.

Which is better? The opening of Santal might be its weakest point. Going head to head versus BR 540, I’m going to take how the latter of the two starts off.

Edge: BR 540

Projection

Santal 33 has the lighter sillage of the two. However, it’s certainly not weak and has a pretty darn good projection for the first hours of the wear. I’d say it projects to about a 7 foot radius, at it’s peak.

Not amazing. But, good enough.

Santal doesn’t hit the same level as Baccarat. It’s not a super heavy scent, but it’s always projected well above average for me. It settles down into something more moderate, but it’s peak and sustained power is greater than that of the Le Labo.

Edge: BR 540

Longevity

On my skin, Santal 33 lasts for 7-8 hours. It’s fairly good performance, but nothing elite by any stretch of the imagination.

It’s a fairly easy win for Baccarat in this category. It has a wider range of outcomes for me, but it has a much higher ceiling than does the Le Labo.

I get a minimum of 8 hours of wear out of BR 540 and up to 12 hours. Somewhere around 10 is what I expect, of course that can fall short or exceed it by a good margin.

Edge: BR 540

Versatility

Here’s a category where I will give an edge to Santal 33. I do think that it’s a bit more versatile in warmer weather. Closer to being a year round perfume versus the autumn and winter dominance of BR 540.

The Le Labo is also closer to a more genuine unisex. Most guys would rather wear Santal 33 versus Baccarat (though some can pull off either).

Edge: Santal 33

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these perfumes do I prefer? In terms of how each smells, it’s a closer race than you might expect from the outcomes of the categories. The scent of each of them is pretty much dead even, in my opinion.

So, a lot of this is going to come down to the performance. Also, the fact that Baccarat has a better start.

With Santal 33, I really enjoy the dry down. It’s what saves the perfume from just being pure hype. Slightly sweet, powdery, and woody. The violet, amber, iris, leather, and woods are really good.

I actually prefer the dry down period a bit more than Baccarat. Those notes are more appealing than the cedar and ambroxan which come on stronger in the tail end of Baccarat (which isn’t bad at all).

Each of these perfumes, does feature something that can be bothersome to a certain percentage of people, which is why I’d recommend sampling before a full purchase to see if you’re one of them.

With Santal 33, it’s the so-called ‘pickle juice’ smell. With Baccarat, it’s the ‘dentist office/plastic’ aroma that some get. Neither is present on me, but I guess some people can get some odd smells out of these perfumes.

I give a very slight edge to Baccarat for the win. It’s really a neck and neck battle between them. I suppose you could also say that Santal 33 has more value based on price, but both of these are expensive fragrances.

Here’s my posts on cheaper alternative to each, if you want to save some money: Baccarat Rouge Alternatives, Santal 33 

Winner: Baccarat Rouge 540

Guilty Eau Pour Homme by Gucci

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Guilty Eau is one of the older scents from the Guilty line, being released in 2015. Since then, the fragrances under this banner, have taken things in a different direction from the original. Guilty Eau Pour Homme, is one that definitely takes its cues from the older compositions.

I picked up a travel sprayer full of this cologne, since I’d never actually tested it for the site. How does it smell? Is it long lasting? Is Eau worth a try?

What does Guilty Eau Pour Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lemon, orris, snowberry, musk, orange blossom, patchouli

Click here to try: Gucci Guilty Eau Pour Homme 1.6 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

Guilty Eau opens up like a less spicy mix of Intense and the original Guilty EDT. Early on in the wear, I get a greater impression of Intense, which then moves more towards the original.

It the top two citrus notes, toned down with a blend of the signature orange blossom note and the slight powdery quality of orris root. It’s fresh, bright, and cold.

The interesting note here is snowberry, which is apparently in the honeysuckle family. The aroma is somewhat of a cool and minty variety. It and the orris root are what really separate it from its predecessors.

It’s bright and cold early on, but it will settle into a more powdery version of the original. A sweet white floral with touches of musk and patchouli. The lemon note will still be there with the orange blossom, orris, and the base notes.

One noticeable difference that I should mention, is the lack of lavender here. Usually, I would welcome that, all things considered. But, I enjoy the lavender in the EDT version. Here is wasn’t replaced well enough, even if I like the snowberry.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

In terms of how it projects, I get 3-5 feet from skin, at its peak. It’s a fairly moderate sillage, right in line with Guilty EDT. So, a few hours of moderate wear, before it is an airy and pretty much skin scent type of cologne.

On my skin, Guilty Eau will hang around for 5-6 hours before disappearing entirely. That might not be too bad, if you can get it at a discount. At full price, I would want a bit more from a Gucci scent than what this gives.

Seasonally, it can go year round like EDT, but the greatest use will be a wear for spring or early summer. The colder quality of the fragrance, really sits well in the warmer air and adds a crisp freshness that is distinct from the other Guilty’s.

Guilty Pour Homme is kind of an all-purpose fragrance, as it can be worn casually, is safe enough for work, and attractive enough for a date.

Honestly, if a guy just wants something simple and one that can pull complements, Gucci Guilty can do the job. Performance is ehhh, but the versatility is darn good.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Eau

Do I like this fragrance? I like it, but it isn’t something that I really want to wear. While it has elements of the Guilty EDT and Intense, I prefer both of those to this one. The distinctions in the scent, don’t really give me anything that I find all that intriguing.

Plus, you get about the same level of performance as the EDT. I don’t personally want a bottle of that one, nor this one. I like Black, Intense, Love 2020, Absolute, and even EDP more so from this Gucci line.

The snowberry is an interesting note, I would like it to be featured in some other colognes. I would’ve utilized that and the orris more, to really give this a distinct cold and powdery aroma to separate it from the others.

As it stands, it’s too similar to the EDT and not any better. It is one that if you happen to really enjoy the smell of, that you can pretty much wear it anytime. The versatility is great. If you’re a big fan of Guilty Pour Homme, give this a shot.

If not, I’d go with one of the others in the Guilty series.

Update: Coming back to this post in 2024, it seems the Guilty Eau has been discontinued. I’m not currently seeing too many bottles left for sale online. So, if you want it you should probably grab a bottle now. Again, I don’t think it’s probably worth paying up for, but if it’s pretty cheap, go for it.

4 Perfumes Similar Smelling to Thank U Next

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Thank U, Next has become a very popular release from Ariana Grande. It actually smells familiar and like other perfumes on the market, yet, it has unique points which keep it distinct.

For a good portion of people, this scent doesn’t particularly work on their skin, and has a so-called ‘pickle’ aroma.

I never got that during testing, but it seems to be a problem for some. Anyway, I wanted to present some similar alternatives to Thank U, Next that might be a better substitute.

Which perfumes smell comparable to Thank U, Next?

I haven’t found an exact match of the Ariana Grande scent, as of now. So, if you’re looking for a cheaper super close smelling perfume of it, I’m not sure it yet exists. But, I’ll update the page over time if that changes.

Even Thank U, Next 2.0 doesn’t exactly do the same thing as the original. You can read my comparison here: Thank U, Next vs. 2.0

The Closest Thing

Malibu Night by Dime– This is the best option that I’ve found so far, if you want something that smells quite a lot like Thank U, Next. The problem is, it’s not any cheaper. Basically, a lateral move.

However, Malibu Night also doesn’t smell exactly the same as the Ariana scent. So, there are a few differences.

This does have a good amount of juiciness of raspberry up top. But, the coconut will take control. Quite tropical at times, in it’s presentation, but settles down into something with more of a musky aroma.

Still has that creaminess in the finish. But, I think that Malibu Night uses it’s rose and peony notes a tad stronger than what you get with Thank U, Next. Lighter with a very nice coconut aroma, less of the pure sweetness, but still quite similar.

More Floral, Great Pear

Donna Acqua by Valentino– Donna Acqua is a great fragrance that shares some overlap with Thank U, Next in terms of its notes and overall style. The pear is what is really going to stand out, as their shared commonality.

This Valentino scent is more floral and less sweet when compared to the Ariana frag. The frangipani adds sweet creaminess (along with sandalwood), that mimics aspects of the coconut in our target scent. Plus, the almond provides an additional nuttiness, and furthers the gourmand quality.

The pear gives this the ‘Acqua’ title and it’s a pretty similar experience to Thank U. However, it is probably stronger in this one and doesn’t have to split duties with the raspberry. Donna Acqua takes on more floral characteristics as it dries down, with an additional jasmine note.

Bolder and Better for Cold

Classique Intense by JPG– This Gaultier scent has similarities that many fans of Thank U, Next should enjoy. It’s not a smell alike, but shares aspects with both Thank U, Next and 2.0.

This is a creamy and fruity white floral fragrance with tropical hints peaking through. This one is better in the colder months than the more spring/summer friendly Ariana perfume. Classique Intense is sort of an inversion of much of the Thank U, Next style.

Pomegranate like 2.0, without the sheer juicy quality of the pear note. The pear is a note that may be giving some people the odd smell or one that some simply do not enjoy. Instead, you get tiare, vanilla and orange blossom along with the rose of the original Thank U.

Powerful, sweet, and great for the winter months. Think of it as a Thank U, Next’s slightly more mature and sexy cousin.

Potential One?

Eyes on Me by Miu Miu– Now, this is a newer release and I haven’t gotten to try it yet. But, the overall structure and notes seem to really share a great deal with Thank U, Next. So, I’ll link to it and update, if and when I get to try. As of now, you may have to order it from Japan.

Raspberry, macaron, and rose. It looks like this one lacks the pear and the musk note. But, you get benzoin in the base, which actually might be an improvement. It is pricier than the Ariana Grande perfume, but who knows how much better it might be.

Just on the face of it, Eyes on Me looks like an exceedingly close match. Sans pear note, it just might work better for people, also.