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!

Fame Parfum by Paco Rabanne

by

Fame Parfum is the follow up to the original Fame release from Paco Rabanne. This one was released in 2023. I got a hold of a sample of this newer perfume, in order to test it out, and review it for the site. How does it smell? Does Fame Parfum last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Fame Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: mango, jasmine incense, musk, pink pepper, bergamot, patchouli, sandalwood, benzoin

Click here to try: Fame Parfum

My Full Review

Fame Parfum definitely does smell quite a lot like the original. One of the main differences that I notice, is an amped up mango note at the start.

The one in the original was short lived. Here, is sticks around for longer, and this Parfum version is a bit of a heavier scent. Still, I don’t find it to be completely enveloping.

Early, it’s a blend of sweet and spicy, with the tropical fruity influence having the upper hand. Then, things will shift and I start to get more patchouli and jasmine on my skin.

The pink pepper is still there a bit, the mango will also hang around. However, neither has the same level on influence for the rest of the wear.

For me, the dry down is mostly about the jasmine and sandalwood notes. There’s still a light fruitiness, some incense hanging about, and fuzziness from musk and benzoin.

Feels like a warmer and clean kind of perfume, with some different weightings versus the original Fame. This is sort of a Polo Black style, but for women. Lots of overlap in the notes between those two.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Fame Parfum does have slightly heavier profile than the original, which was pretty moderate. However, the projection here is much better and sticks around at this higher level for a longer bout of time.

Not massive with how it’ll go across a room, but still above average and it’ll take a good while before it starts to degrade into a skin scent.

The longevity here is really good and indeed better than the original. On my skin, it’ll last somewhere in 8.5 hour range. On clothes, it’ll go into the double digit range pretty easily.

The good thing about this fragrance, is that it can basically be worn in all seasons. The tropical nature of the smell is great for warmer days in spring and summer. While, it has enough substance with its heavier notes to do well in the cold.

I’d probably stay away from the extreme heat with it, but Fame Parfum does walk the line, and manages not to turn terrible in most climates.

Like its forerunner, Parfum is more of a pretty daytime wear. Not a formal fragrance, but it could work for just about anything else you’d want to wear it for during the warmest days. It’s attractive without being super sexy, a romantic, or nightlife wear.

fame parfum review

My Overall Impressions of Fame Parfum

Overall, do I like Fame Parfum? I think that this is an improvement versus the original (which was decent). Though, it’s not far and away better than the previous incarnation.

It’s clean and tropical, with a great use of the mango note, early on. After that, it becomes much more of a floral and fruity blend with a good amount of sandalwood coming up from the base.

This Fame line has a similar style to the Mugler Goddess entries. This one is about equal to the EDP of that, but I prefer Goddess Intense to any of them. Again, they’re only similar and not the same.

All around, I think this is good and worth checking out if you like the original or anything of this sort. It’s not amazing, but Parfum does everything well and has no obvious weak points.

Stronger with You Oud by Emporio Armani

by

Stronger with You Oud is one of the latest samples that I received, from this long running series of men’s fragrances by Emporio Armani. This one was released in 2022, following two years after the release of the Leather edition. How does SWY Oud smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Stronger with You Oud Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, oud, lavender

Click here to try: Stronger with You Oud

My Full Review

Stronger with You Oud actually reminds me a fair bit of The One Luminous Night in the opening act. It’s a sweetish, smoky, and woody blend that is very reminiscent of that D&G release.

Now, not the same, as the sage and date notes in Luminous are a lot stronger. Another aspect here, is there is a slight rubbery smell from the oud that I get early on. Much like what I got from A Midnight Stroll by Gucci.

I was expecting a stronger and perhaps dirtier oud note. But it’s more like a blend of those two aforementioned scents and SWY Leather, which also had an oud note. It’s sweet with some lavender and vanilla influence and a oud note that isn’t grabbing for attention.

This one is smooth and the leather note is definitely still here too. I really think they just swapped the strength of the oud and leather notes in SWY Leather, added some touches, and called it SWY Oud.

The dry down is a slightly powdery aroma with less sweetness, but a greater focus on lavender and the general woody notes (along with the light oud). You still get a of that Stronger with You DNA coming through, the chestnut, and it feels ambery.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

For me, this one seems to match the projection power of the leather edition, which was good. It’s not too heavy of a fragrance either, but Oud does have some density to its aroma.

Sprayed on clothes, I can detect this from like 6-7 feet away, at its peak. Thereafter, it will gradually draw closer to where you sprayed. However, the decline is pretty slow, and I never felt like I couldn’t detect it on myself.

The longevity is better, I can get up to 11 hours with this one. It seems to fall in that 9 to 11 hour range, each time that I have tested Oud out. So, it certainly delivers the performance if this is a cologne that you’re interested in.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn and winter with this. Colder weather is better here. Though, it can function well in moderate temperatures as well.

I’d keep this more as a nighttime wear. I don’t think that it is particularly sexy, but it can be used for more than a casual cologne, while still not being entirely formal. That rubbery aspect, early on, might not have the widest mass appeal of this SWY series. But, it will settle into something palatable for a larger audience.

Overall Impressions of SWY Oud

Overall, do I like Stronger with You Oud? Sort of. It’s not my favorite from the series, but it’s better than releases like, Only or Freeze. Personally, I’d go with Leather before this one, Absolutely, and Intensely too.

It’s fine, but it does begin to grate on my nerves after a period of wear. I’m not a massive oud fan and this, while not being a heavy oud fragrance (despite the name), just isn’t that great of an example.

That’s also a reason that I’d go with Leather versus this, as they do have a whole lot in common, but this has a slightly heavier weighting towards oud (while still not being dominant). Plus, that blend just smells much better overall.

It’s all nice enough, performance is really good, and this will for sure have plenty of fans. Me? It’s not something that I want to grab and spray on. If you’re a fan of the series, you should give it a try if you can, but might not want to blind buy.

Vanille Abricot by Comptoir Sud Pacifique

by

Vanille Abricot is a fragrance from Comptoir Sud Pacifique which has been popular for a long time. It was released all the way back in 1993 and is still going strong. I’ve been planning on doing a whole host of reviews of scents from this brand and got a sample of Vanille Abricot to kick things off.

How does it smell? Does Vanille last long? Is this classic fragrance worth a try?

What does Vanille Abricot Smell Like?

Notes include: jackfruit, papaya, apricot, sugar candy, vanilla

Click here to try: Vanille Abricot by Comptoir

My Full Review

Here’s how Comptoir Sud Pacifique describes it: An irresistible accord that is velvety, sensual, rich and fragile. A subtle contrast between tender fruit and a bitter heart note. Just like the sun at the exact moment when it dries the myriad drops of water on your skin after a dip in the water and when it burns the teakwood under your feet on the decks of sailboats anchored at port.

The vanilla and sugar candy are prominent from the start. I was expecting there to be a strong representation from the fruit notes, but they don’t seem to get the top spot, at least on my skin.

I do get a slightly tropical smell and the apricot itself is distinct. However, this is a warm and sugary baked goods kind of aroma. To me, Vanille Abricot is like a cookie. It’s more sweet, rather than being juicy and fruity.

The dry down is a sugary vanilla with some slight hints from the fruit notes. Very simple perfume, but enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This Comptoir Sud Pacifique perfume doesn’t have a huge radius of projection, nor does it feel like a heavy perfume, even with its sweet and sugary scent.

It will hit maybe the six foot mark as far as its peak reach. Then, it will end up being a more intimate fragrance, in the 2 to 3 foot range for much of the duration.

On my skin, this perfume will stick around for 5 to 6 hours. Doesn’t want to go beyond that, it seems. Performance is middle of the road with Vanille Abricot.

Seasonally, this is light enough and has just enough of a fruity influence to be fine in warmer weather. I wouldn’t call this a pure summer scent, but it might work on certain days. Mainly, a more mild autumn and spring day would seem appropriate to wear this.

It can be worn by any age group. It’s not so immature that it is limited to teenagers. It’s light enough to be worn in a lot of different scenarios, but may not always be formal enough. More of a daytime wear versus a nightlife star.

Overall Impressions of Vanille Abricot

Overall, do I like Vanille Abricot? Yes, it’s not a complicated fragrance or one that is going to appeal to everyone, but if you like sweets…this Comptoir perfume delivers the goods.

This one is less about the apricot and much more tilted towards the very sugary vanilla note. Still, even with that being the case, Vanille Abricot is a scent that can be enjoyable from time to time.

The performance is pretty average, so don’t expect much on that front. It’s a nice smell that more than likely isn’t going to last the equivalent of a full work day.

It’s worth checking out if this sort of perfume appeals to you. The price for a bottle usually isn’t too high, so, a blind buy might not be too much of a stretch. It may be too boring for some or too sugary for others.

But, Vanille Abricot has stuck around long enough to have capture a mass audience, so it’s pretty darn safe to get without a lot of regret.

Phantom Parfum by Paco Rabanne

by

Phantom Parfum is the follow up flanker to the popular, robot-bottled scent, Phantom by Paco Rabanne. This cologne was released by the brand in 2023. I bought a sample of it to test out a while back for the site. How does Phantom Parfum smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Phantom Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lemon, rhubarb, cardamom, lavender, patchouli, vanilla, geranium, balsam, cedar

Click here to try: Phantom Parfum

My Full Review

To open things up, we get a stronger use of the citrus notes up top. That lemon, bergamot, and semi-tropical aroma is back from the original, longer lasting, and better than before.

With that, you get a rhubarb and cardamom in lieu of the apple note. It’s got a spicy aspect from that cardamom. Once the fruitiness has toned down, this one feels fresher and colder than Phantom.

Slightly greenish undertones, in the early stages. Rhubarb and geranium really add that cold streak to things.

Another part that will be noticed, is the early emergence of the lavender, which will play more of a role later on.

At some point, the fruitiness and much of the sweetness will fade from the top spot. For me, I get a lavender and woodsy mix in the middle act with stronger vanilla as we push further into the wear.

To me, the dry down is a vanilla and woods blend with some latent citrus that is still hanging around. Just like a spritz of lemon juice or something to that effect.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Between this and Phantom EDP, Parfum does indeed have a more powerful reach and heavier sillage. Yet, it’s not that much stronger.

I will say though, Parfum doesn’t lose what power it has quite as quickly and this one will stay in that upper moderate range of projection for longer than the original. Definitely doesn’t decay at the same speed as EDP.

On my skin, I have gotten 8-9 hours of wear out of this Parfum version. It is better than the original, and gives you good, yet not elite levels of staying power. But, it’s still worthy of some praise on the performance front.

Seasonally, this one is still the same as EDP. It’s an autumn and winter wear, that doesn’t hold up all that well in heat and humidity.

Within that context, this still skews younger and feels more like a nightlife wear, even if its fine to have on in the daytime. It’s sweeter side, should have some mass appeal and be able to pull a few complements, even if Phantom Parfum isn’t the best cologne around.

Overall Impressions of Phantom Parfum

Overall, do I like Phantom Parfum? It’s okay. I never was that into the original Phantom EDP, and while this one is the better of the two, it’s not a massively improved fragrance.

The opening is what I liked in the original and Parfum gives me more of that, in a longer and more citrusy style.

The dry down is a big dose of vanilla, some woods, and a now generic sweetness from the top notes. That initial ‘tropical’ sort of smell isn’t there anymore and it has the same vibe as any number of Paco Rabanne scents after that.

If you didn’t care for the first one, this probably won’t do much to sway you to getting on board with the series. If you liked the EDP, I’d say to give this one a try, as it does everything better with some differences along the way.

The performance delivers what you’ll need for almost any situation, so, you do get your money’s worth from that end of things.

If you’ve never come across a Phantom fragrance before. I wouldn’t suggest blind buying this scent unless you get a steep discount. Even Phantom Parfum, seems to be mostly a love/hate release, depending on the person.

Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree by Hermes

by

Twilly d’Hermes continues to spawn flanker fragrances from its popular name and formula. Today, I want to write a bit about Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree which was released by Hermes back in 2019. How does this perfume smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, rose, patchouli

Click here to try: Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree

My Full Review

The pink pepper comes on quite strong in the beginning. I wasn’t expecting a heavy spice, when I first tried Poivree, but that’s what I’ve gotten each time.

That will calm down, but then, Poviree will move into its earthy, woodsy, rosy phase. The patchouli note is quite strong in the mix. The spice of the pink pepper does soften, but the rose note isn’t massive on me.

It’s a lighter and lovely rose, paired with a powerful patchouli note, and the pink pepper. There is some sweetness here and this isn’t completely a patchouli play throughout. Just be ready for something a bit on the rougher side in the first hour.

Later, it will dry down with more rose , and it’s an easier to appreciate basic floral perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one does start off with some punch. The pink pepper and patchouli phase, really does have some good reach and ability to leave a scent trail. As I’ve said, it does have a heaviness to it.

Then, it will become a slightly above average projecting and lighter moderate perfume. It will sit pretty much in that 3-4 foot range for most of the wear.

On my skin, Eau Poivree will stick around for up to 6.5 hours. Somewhere within range of that number, each time that I’ve tried it. It’s okay, but nothing really that going to blow away your expectations.

Seasonally, this Hermes seems like it can fit in well, pretty much anytime outside of the height of summer. It wouldn’t be too awful then, either, but I think that Eau Poivree would be at its worst.

Autumn or any mild weather, is ideal for this.

So, Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poviree, isn’t a perfume for everyone. It lacks a lot of the mass appeal that you get with the original. Some are going to be turned off by the patchouli and/or pink pepper.

Others, will think this one comes across as being too mature. It definitely seems to skew that way, at least it’s style is more of an old school flavor. Plus, it’s a daily wear type of fragrance and nothing built for nightlife or romantic wear.

Overall Impressions of Eau Poivree

Overall, do I like Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree? It’s fine, but it’s not my favorite from these Twilly perfumes.  The original EDP and Eau Ginger are both better fragrances than this one. Poivree will have a much more limited fan base versus those two.

I like the back half when the intensity has fallen a bit by the wayside. The opening is fine, but the pink pepper and patchouli come on too strong for my taste.

That balanced rose, sweetness, and patchouli part of this one is nice enough.

Still, it’s a fragrance with an okay performance and one that you’d probably want to test out before committing to a full bottle. For the retail price, Eau Poivree isn’t going to be one that most people will want to pick up.

It’s fine, not great, and not a true mass appealing fragrance.