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 Best Smelling Guerlain Fragrances for Men

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Guerlain is a French perfumer which has been around for centuries now. With such a long time to develop scents, it is no wonder why there is a whole line of colognes for men available that smell great and provide a unique style.

I have now updated this list, some seven years after originally posting. I have included two additional entries, which I feel are very worthwhile to be included. I have linked each option out to its page on Amazon, for further info or purchase.

Favorite Guerlain Colognes for Men

Cocoa Spiced Guerlain

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Ounces
An elegant and masculine fragrance and probably my favorite scent by Guerlain. L’Instant is a very pleasing and unique cologne for men which stands out even while being subtle.

It opens with a great citrus blend and some spicy anise, then, it has its jasmine and patchouli moments, before the cacao moves in.

There is the EDT version and the EDP version. The EDT is my favorite and described above. However, some folks like the EDP more (featured later on this list), and it is a very good fragrance. The EDP is a bit spicier and has a winter profile, being warm and more enveloping.

Super smooth and classy. Has a very unique vibe versus most men’s fragrances of today and will draw complements.

Notes include: Bergamot, Lemon, Pepper, Hibiscus Seeds, Badian Crystals, Patchouli, Indian Jasmine Petal, Elemi, Lapsang Tea, Bitter Cocoa Bean, Mysore Sandalwood.

Classic Guerlain

Imperiale Guerlain By Guerlain Eau De Cologne Spray 3.4 Oz
This cologne has been around for well over a hundred and fifty years because it is such a performer. It’s a crisp and clean unisex floral scent that is a great casual wear.

The citrus notes do permeate, this fragrance, but the neroli and verbena notes really bring things home.

Imperiale has a sort of carbonated fizziness lurking underneath, with a cooling refreshing feeling, that is great for the warmer months. This is a pretty light scent, without crazy performance, but it smells absolutely wonderful.

imperiale

Vetiver Fragrance

Vetiver Guerlain by Guerlain for Men – 6.8 oz EDT Spray
Another classic fragrance by Guerlain, Vetiver is a woodsy and spicy scent that won’t make those around you feel overwhelmed by its strength. This is a really ‘manly’ throwback sort of a scent.

An affordable classic with citrus, tobacco, and nutmeg notes to help round out the vetiver dominance. A really good entry for those looking to get into vetiver scents.

Guerlain’s Vetiver opens with a blend of spice, citrus, and some tobacco. To my nose, the tobacco isn’t too powerful, and I actually get a stronger citrus vibe. However, that will quickly morph into a dry and earthy wear, led by the namesake note.

vetiver

Rouge Remix

Habit Rouge Rouge Prive– This is a modern take on the Habit Rouge formula and one that deserves a spot on this updated list.

Rouge Prive opens with a large dose of bergamot citrus, joined by ginger, some patchouli, and the leather note already making itself known at the start.

Mostly, this is going to be about the citrus and leather accord, for the duration. But, in between you get some warmth in the early stage, powdery aspects from iris/vanilla, and a very smooth leathery finish when that note overcomes the bergamot.

Great strength and performance. Definitely a fragrance for those who want a great leather cologne, that still pays homage to the older Habit Rouge formula. Rouge Prive Review

Best Wintertime Guerlain Cologne

Guerlain L’Instant de Guerlain Extreme Eau De Parfum Spray – 75ml/2.5oz– L’Instant Extreme has less of the citrus notes of the original (still present in the opening) and more of a spicy profile, which later develops its dark cacao sweetness.

It can be really difficult to choose between this and the original, as they are both utterly amazing. This one is darker, with more patchouli, and less of the bright citrus disposition. Still, it is a really great scent, in its own right without comparison.

I think that Guerlain has once again, discontinued L’Instant Extreme. I know that you can still get bottles of the EDT, but this one might be more expensive to get a hold of.

Best Guerlain for Summer

L’Homme Ideal Platine Prive by Guerlain- I’ve had to swap out the old Ideal Cologne, that was discontinued for the newer Platine Prive. Which, is very close to being the same thing, with some slight changes.

I’m so glad they brought back this formula, as it was my favorite of the series. Platine Prive isn’t dead on the same, but lets say 85-90ish percent there.

Ideal Cologne opened with a citrus blast of notes from grapefruit to bergamot. It’s a summery scent, that includes a great almond ingredient as well as, vetiver.

Note: If you can’t find this one, Dua has their inspired take on the formula called, His Ideal Cologne.

Platine Prive is the same basically, during my testing. I think the almond here is less involved than with Cologne and the citrus feels cleaner and a bit more impactful.

It is clean and cool and lasted on my skin for 8 hours, back when I tested it out. This is the best of the L’Homme Ideal fragrances, in my opinion.

I enjoy almond as a note, but it usually gets paired in more of a wintertime blend. The summer feel of this is fantastic.  (discontinued one): L’Homme Ideal Cologne Review

The Next Best Ideal

L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)– Ideal EDP is now my second favorite from the line, but it is also the one more available versus the discontinued Cologne. 

I came back to testing this one out and started to really prefer wearing it versus the also popular, Extreme. So, I’m replacing it on the list.

Cherry and almond are the centers of attention early on. It is attractive, warm, sweet, and has enough spiciness to liven it up.

The leather note is present, but not as much as in L’Intense (or the smokiness). It’s not sugary sweet or overwhelming with its sillage, just a nice balance.

It is pretty difficult to get in the US, since it is no longer for sale in stores here. I’ve linked to a UK store that will ship to the US and it’s really the best bet for getting EDP nowadays. Ideal EDP Review

10 Best Smelling Versace Colognes for Men

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Versace fragrances are known for being stylish, masculine, and unique. Not too many design houses have a roster of fragrances that are this deep and deliver the goods each time.

Versace has plenty to offer men of different tastes and while it isn’t an inexpensive brand, it isn’t obscenely expensive for most people.

For this list, I have selected 7 fragrances from Versace which I feel are the best. I have also added a few honorable mentions. Check out: Best Smelling Versace Perfumes for Women

Favorite Versace Perfumes for Him

Tobacco Floral 90s Classic

DREAMER by Versace Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz– Not an overpowering fragrance but one that is highly memorable and sexy. It is sweet with enough spice to reel in the ladies and having them ask what it is you are wearing? Notes include: wild flowers, linen, amber and tobacco.

Update: They’ve reformulated and re-released this one. So, the notes and aroma are fairly different from this older version now.

Dreamer dates back to the mid-1990s and as such is now available at a great price. It opens up with a very fresh and smooth green tobacco note.

It’s uncured and more floral than the heavier pipe tobacco found in many other fragrances. This is paired with lavender to give it a floral and powdery heart.

However, its base is woody, herbal, and masculine. It’s dry with notes of fir and cedar. Then, an herbal spice of sage. Dreamer is a low key fragrance that is good for daily wear and is safe for the office. Dreamer Full Review

Pros

  • Clean and versatile fragrance
  • Inexpensive
  • Not overly powerful

Cons

  •  May be to green/floral for some men’s tastes.

Best Selling Versace

Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– A deep and energetic cologne that projects an air of confidence and sensuality. Eros is the God of Love and this one is great for romantic wear. Notes include: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver.

This is now probably the most popular Versace cologne, since its release in 2012. It has now spawned a flanker called Eros Flame, which has now been released. Anyway, the original Versace Eros is bold and striking.

It opens with mint, apple, citrus, and vanilla. It’s got gourmand qualities, slight spice, and a cedar/woodsy base.

Eros is my favorite from the Versace lineup, I’d have to say. despite its extreme popularity, I still enjoy wearing this fragrance on a regular basis. Read my full review of Eros. 

Note: The EDP version and the current version of the EDT rank about the same to me. The EDP has a better opening act, in my mind, however. 

Pros

  • Sweet and bold profile
  • Great option for younger men
  • Performance

Cons

  •  Not great in warmer weather
  •  Can be too strong for office wear or school

The Other Eros

Versace Eros Parfum– Eros Parfum is the latest edition in the series, but is better than both the EDP and Flame, to my mind.

Eros Parfum obviously has plenty of overlap with the EDT and EDP. But, it does stand alone in how it presents itself.

Noticeably, the lemon note is toned down versus the original. Initially, the citrus is quite present, but it will fade.

You still get the lemon, apple, and mint notes but the weighting is different. Mint probably takes the biggest hit in the Parfum version. It does have a slight fresh spiciness early on from black pepper and sage, not too much.

The dry down goes vanilla, woods, benzoin and amber with the remaining fruity notes hanging around. Resinous and creamy to some extent. Nice strong sillage and will last a long while. Eros Parfum review

Dry, Rich, and Spicy

Versace Man by Versace 3.4oz 100ml EDT Spray– Versace Man is all about masculinity. It is rich and complex with spicy notes that deliver a beautiful aroma. The tobacco note leads the way and is a cured sort of tobacco aroma as opposed to the aforementioned Dreamer.

There is also pepper and cardamom giving Man a spice. Then, things shift a bit more towards a warmer floral blend of amber and saffron.

The end result is a refined, dry, and richly appointed fragrance which has good sillage and will last on one’s skin for quite a while. Update: This has been discontinued as of 2018, but you can still grab bottles online. 

Pros

  • Masculine and refined
  • Appropriate for in their late 20s and up

Cons

  • Getting harder to find bottles

versace man

Best Summertime Versace

Versace Man Eau Fraiche By Gianni Versace For Men Edt Spray 3.4 Oz– Eau Fraiche is a cleaner citrus take on the original Versace Man. This one is more of a springtime or summer scent for gentleman.

Eau Fraiche opens up with a crisp, cold, and refreshing lemon note and starfruit. It’s got an icy quality to it at first, which is really interesting, and great to spray on during the summer heat.

Then, Versace Man Eau Fraiche, warms up a bit. It becomes much woodier than just a straight citrus bomb and I think that’s when the fragrance really comes into its own. It’s all very light, clean, and super attractive.

The longevity is pretty good, I’ve gotten a little bit more than 6 hours of wear out of it, but this is a fantastic option for warmer climates or just as a strictly summertime wear.

Notes include: Lemon, Rosewood, Carambola, Cedar leaves, Tarragon, Sage, Musk, Amber, Sycamore wood.  Versace Man Eau Fraiche Full Review

Pros

  • Clean and bright aroma
  • Great for summer
  • Nice use of citrus and woods

Cons

  • Some may find the lemon too sharp
  • More of a casual fragrance

Good Daily Wear Cologne

Versace Signature By Gianni Versace Eau-de-toilette Spray for Men, 6.70-Fluid Ounce– A nice day to day fragrance from Versace with gentle spice notes. Versace opens up with bergamot and bitter orange notes, which creates a bright citrus aroma at the top.

It’s actually quite an intense fragrance, to my nose, for the first 30 minutes or so of wear. It mellows out a great deal afterwards, but that citrus opening is a bomb.

As it dries down, I get a lot more of the tonka bean and floral notes poking through, to give Versace Pour Homme much more depth of character. It is still a pretty straightforward cologne, which also provides some sage and cedar at the base.

I like Versace Signature but it was never my favorite from the line. It’s another one that is a great daily wear option for men who live in those warm climates, as it performs amazingly well in the heat. Notes include: Jasmine, Moroccan cedar wood, musk, kashmir wood, azalea.  My review of Versace

Pros

  • Nice smelling option for guys who want a daily wear
  • Fresh and can hold up in the hotter climates

Cons

  • The opening act, can be overwhelming, at times
  • Solid, but not amazing performance

versace pour homme

The Original

Versace L’Homme by Versace for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray– Admittedly, I overlooked this 1980s classic, the first go round with this list of top Versace colognes. L’Homme really is a fantastic scent and is now available at a great price.

Beyond that, it has so much depth, and a varied character. It opens up with a bold blend of citrus notes, headlined by lemon, and supported by bergamot.

Then, it dries down with leather, a cinnamon spice, and a mix of floral/woodsy notes. It’s got a clean aroma, with the citrus and leather. But then, the patchouli and other dry earthy elements come in, and dirty things up a tad.

It ends, as a smooth and dry citrus, with an air of absolute fresh spiciness. The longevity is good and the sillage can be pretty powerful, especially in the opening half hour or so. Very masculine and not really a teenager type of fragrance, at all.

Pros

  • Attractive price point
  • It’s classic style, stands out versus most modern scents
  • Wonderfully rich and masculine smell

Cons

  • Not for most younger guys

Honorable Mentions

The main seven listed here, are the best of the lot, and should be enough for anyone looking to get into Versace fragrances. However, there are other really nice options, that some would argue deserve a spot. To me, though, they are the best of the rest.

Versace Pour Homme Dylan Blue FOR MEN by Versace – 3.4 oz EDT Spray– Dylan Blue is a citrus aquatic, with strong ambroxan notes. As such, it is in the same fragrance family as, Dior Sauvage and Acqua di Gio Profumo. It opens with a grapefruit and bergamot mix, sitting on top of a watery base.

Then, there is the addition of a lovely fig. The dry down is more about the ambroxan and light spiciness. This one has lots to like, but overall, it just never stays at those heights in my opinion.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very nice cologne and a best seller, but doesn’t make the cut among the Versace elite. Dylan Blue Review

Blue Jeans By Gianni Versace For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5-Ounces– Blue Jeans is a wonderful fragrance by Versace, which dates back to the 1990s. The great news is, you can pick up full bottles of this for around $20 currently.

That’s a heck of a deal, even when compared to the better smelling fragrances from this list.

Blue Jeans, nonetheless, smells great. It’s simple and fresh, one that would be a great option, for younger man. You get some sweetness, with fresh notes such as lavender, and some underlying woods.

There is also some citrus in the opening. Very pleasant and a cologne, which is good for daily wear.

Versace Eros Flame for men eau de parfum spray, 3.4 Ounce, Red– Eros Flame is the flanker fragrance to the best-selling Eros. While it shares plenty of the same DNA, as the original, it is a notch below its predecessor.

I do however, especially enjoy the tangerine and lemon top notes, the are juicy and beautiful.

The performance on this one, is also fantastic. I have a full bottle, and Eros Flame, will hit double digit hours on my skin without a problem. This one is warmer, spicier, and drier than the original.

The differences really show in the latter stages. Nonetheless, Eros Flame is a likeable fragrance, and I still wear it from time to time. Eros Flame Review

 

12 Fragrances Similar to Chanel No. 5

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Chanel No. 5 has been around now for about 100 years. It’s basically the most famous perfume on the planet and is still going strong in sales, all these years later. With its popularity, have come similar scents, cheaper comparable smells, and other perfumes which are alike. In this post, I want to cover these fragrances , as potential alternatives to buying Chanel No. 5. I’ll keep it updated, as I come across more options.

Perfumes that Smell Similar to Chanel No. 5

The First Inspiration

Floral Aldehydes by Dossier– The name itself gets right to the point, about what this one is. Floral Aldehydes by Dossier is the brand’s inspired take on the classic formula.

A big blast of cooling aldehydes up top, with the light citrus, floral heart, and the powdery aspects like the Chanel has.

An eau de parfum, the performance holds up well, at least to the standards of No. 5 EDP. Perhaps not the extrait.

Does it do a good job at matching the aroma? Pretty much. Sometimes the weighting of some of the notes can be slightly off versus the designer perfume. However, at slightly less than $30 per bottle (as of posting), it’s not going to be noticeable enough to complain much.

Another Number

Antica di Roma by Fragrenza– This is another inspired take on the No. 5 style. Fragrenza is a brand that has some good offerings, and I’ve tried many of their scents, from their designer based perfumes.

However, I haven’t given Antica di Roma a go, as of yet. But, I figured that I’d put it on the list in order to present another alternative, for those who want it.

The good news is, that you can buy a 3ml sample size of this and the other perfumes that they carry, so that you can give them a full test without committing to the full bottle.

Grand Similarities

Ruby 34 by Oakcha– I’m adding this one to the list, because it is one of the more interesting inspired takes I’ve seen on a designer perfume.

Ruby 34 is based on the limited edition Baccarat Grand Extrait version of Chanel No. 5 that the brand put out for the 100th anniversary of No.5. Which, sold for tens of thousands of dollars, by the way.

Ruby 34 gives you a chance to (in theory) have a very similar experience to what you would have gotten, if you could have grabbed one of those limited edition Chanel’s.

So, this might be one to go with for a lot of people who want an updated take on the classic style.

Similar Profile, Differing Strengths

Dune By Christian Dior For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

This Christian Dior offering, isn’t an exact match of our Chanel. It actually shares many of the same notes, but, the strength of each, is almost inverted in comparison. The floral notes are much lighter and Dune is a woodier fragrance.

Like, take the notes, and flip them around.

A lovely and elegant scent dating back to the early 1990s. It is fresh, sensual, and great for the warmer months. Dune is dry and woody with sandalwood, rosewood, and amber being the main highlights. There are spiced notes and undertones of vanilla, which keep it sweet.

Dune is a very smooth and a pretty low key scent. It doesn’t have the same intense sillage as Hypnotic Poison, but is still solid throughout. This one could be a unisex fragrance, with its woody tones, and serves as a great change of pace from the usual popular fare.

dune

Another Similar Classic from that Era

Lanvȋn Arpége Pẻrfume For Women 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray – This one dates back to the earlier decades of the last century, but it has been updated and reformulated, a few times since then. The current version is a lot of floral notes, with a powdery aroma from the iris, sitting on top of sandalwood.

It’s actually kind of a powerhouse, when compared to the others on this list, and while it is pretty heavy it does have a certain cleanliness about it. Since this dates back to around the same era, as No.5, it does have a very similar classic feel. Add to the fact, that there are many of the same notes, and you’ve got a potential alternative.

You get a good amount of jasmine and ylang-ylang, but Arpege is pretty well mixed. Maybe not the most universally appealing scent on the list, but one that ranks up near the top, for a selection of the population.

Lighter, Woodier, and Still Classic

Rive Gauche By Yves Saint Laurent For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz
A blast from the past, this 1970s fragrance is a sure fire classic. Notes of sandalwood, oak moss, honeysuckle, gardenia, and others form an intense, clean, and powdery scent. Unique, inspiring, and long-lasting.

Aldehydes, florals, and a drier profile allow Rive Gauche to be in the approximate family of our target.

Rive Gauche has more oak moss and vetiver freshness, the same type of floral notes, just in a much lighter application.

It blends together as a powdery smell, but underneath you can pick out the floral notes such as rose and gardenia. Plus, the fresh oak moss, vetiver, and other woody elements come together to create a clean and simply sophisticated perfume. Rive Gauche Review

rivegauchew

Aldehydes with More Iris 

Hermes – Caleche – Edt Spray 1.6 Oz (New Packaging)– An aldehyde floral with a nice powdery iris note, taking the lead, within the composition. It has a powerful opening, with the iris and a nice neroli note, for a clean touch.

It softens up, as it dries down, and you’re left with an elegant vintage perfume aroma. At times, its more of a woody fragrance. Then, it will feel creamy. Then, a dry powdery scent. It’s got depth and lots in common with Chanel No. 5, though, not an exact copy. They are, close relatives, however.

Modern with a Similar Style

TOM FORD METALLIQUE 3.4oz 100ml EAU DE PERFUME– This one is different, its a floral aldehyde, with a sweeter and creamier disposition. Vanilla, sandalwood, and ambrette provide that lovely finish following the aldehyde opening act.

The floral notes are toned down and quite subtle. This Tom Ford, does have an interesting metallic finish, as the name suggests. It’s not really a one to one match at all of Chanel No. 5, but one that kind of gives you a updated twist, to this style of fragrance.

Resinous and Smoky

AMOUAGE Gold Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fl Oz– A smoky and resinous oriental fragrance, featuring: rose, lily, and jasmine notes. Close to Caleche, listed above, in smell.

Amouage Gold is an expensive designer fragrance, that dries down with a musky, and powdery aroma. Gets quite rosy, no aldehydes, but plenty of jasmine and some orris to add to its depth. Like a smokier and more exotic take, on Chanel No. 5.

A bit of 19, a bit of 5

Annick Goutal Heure Exquise Women’s Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Ok, so this Annick Goutal scent, is probably closer to Chanel No. 19. However, it’s also somewhat like No.5, as well. I’m adding this, just to give one more option. Plus, on its own, this is a gorgeous fragrance.

It’s a great vintage fragrance with hyacinth, rose, and mostly iris holding things together. It’s powdery with a fresh greeness, to its smell. Very clean with a light touch of sweetness, provided by vanilla, and sitting on top of a sandalwood base.

Old School Lancome

Climat By Lancome For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces– Another older fragrance, that I’ve only recently come across, and the resemblance to No.5 was there to my nose.

To me, this one has a soapier aroma versus being a match of our target. It’s clean and upbeat, with a muskier finish versus the same aldehydes found in Chanel. The main floral is the Lily of the Valley in comparison, but you get a bouquet and fresh woodsiness also.

I don’t think that this is the exact formulation of the older bottles, I wasn’t around in the 60s. However, this one isn’t very expensive and still has a nice quality fragrance, striking close to what we want here.

An Inexpensive Option

Nude By Bill Blass For Women. Cologne Spray 3.4 Ounces– This is an interesting one, that usually costs around $20 per bottle nowadays (though, I believe it’s out of production….so that may not last). It has elements of Chanel No.5 (I’d say closer to the EDP, than anything).

The commonalities are the aldehydes and the floral notes. Jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang. The jasmine is noticeably toned down in the mix versus our target, while the ylang-ylang is ratcheted up. It also has a colder and sterile feeling at times.

The rosemary note is what I think separates it, in the early stages. It’s much more green/herbal than Chanel and dries down with more of a powdery aroma. Not my favorite, but certainly an option to try for cheap.

Omnia Indian Garnet by Bvlgari

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Still making my way through a bunch of sample fragrances that I have stashed around my house. For this entry, I’m going to take a closer look at a Bvlgari perfume, Omnia Indian Garnet. This was released in 2014.

Note: I have updated this page, a few times over the years.

Now, this is of course, another flanker scent from the Omnia lineup that has been so popular for this brand. How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase?

What does Omnia Indian Garnet Smell Like?

Notes include: tuberose, osmanthus, orange, amber, and saffron

Click here to try: Bvlgari Omnia Indian Garnet EDT Spray for Women, 2.2 Ounce

First, let’s begin with how Bvlgari describes this perfume in the sample card’s text:

Inspired by one of the world’s most magnificent gems: the Indian Mandarin Garnet. The new Omnia eau de toilette captures the magic and the sensuality of tuberose and osmanthus flowers.

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Indian Garnet is led by the osmanthus flower with support from the familiar tuberose note. I feel that this perfume is the most flower at the start and then it becomes more infused by the orange and amber.

However, before those two notes come in there is a strong saffron, which I don’t particularly enjoy in this perfume, but it is subdued after ten minutes or so of wear. It’s sort of strange because I do usually like saffron, but the mix seems off to my nose.

This Omnia scent is quite light on the skin, airy, and just sort of floats like vapor when it is worn. The dry down adds more of that citrus aroma, but it never gets super sugary or fruity sweet.

Instead, the amber and osmanthus combination keeps it interesting and unique, while feeling completely familiar. It is a pretty neat experience.

The amber and saffron keep it warm and super clean with the orange influence. If left to it’s own devices, I think that the orange note would evaporate completely, but with the amber the citrus is kept grounded.

The citrus isn’t super juicy or sweet, just that clean and bright feeling, with a really good amber note. Orange is the main attraction throughout, but the pairings with other notes sort of rotate, as it moves itself along.

Omnia Indian Garnet isn’t the typical citrus fragrance. You get a distinct warmth, periods of soapiness, creaminess, and some woodsy spice. It isn’t an overly complicated or deep scent, but it does have enough personality to be rather distinct.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this is a very soft fragrance. I don’t think that it’s weak per se, rather, just not heavy and as I wrote above, airy.

It’s got a soapy quality to it. You’ll notice that it is still on the skin, but it isn’t going to fill up a room, or be a consistent powerhouse.

The longevity is by no means amazing but it is solid, in the 5-7 hour range, on my skin. Good, but not great. Still, if you’re looking for a beast, this isn’t going to be the one.

A lot of Bvlgari scents seem to fall into this category, with their performances. This doesn’t change that trend.

Seasonally, I’d say that Omnia Indian Garnet is best used in the warmer months of the year. Not that it’d be bad in the cold weather, but it would really shine when the temperatures rise.

Which is odd, because it does have that warm feeling to it, but its lightness, doesn’t let it get bogged down in the heat. It’s a decent change of pace from many other aquatic or super fruity perfumes that get brought out in the summer.

I’d call this a casual or everyday fragrance. It smells nice but isn’t particularly sexy to me. It’s something to be worn at work or just around town on a sunny day. Casual to semi-formal.

Overall Impressions of Indian Garnet

Overall, do I like Indian Garnet? It’s nice, but I’m not blown away by it. This is one for those who love orange based perfumes with florals. This is a very clean fragrance, non-offensive, and has some nice daily versatility.

Omnia Indian Garnet is a good addition to the Bvlgari lineup and has a pleasant and sort of soapy aroma, that is a solid choice for plenty of women. There are definitely better options from Bvlgari and from the Omnia line, as well.

The citrus and amber is usually a nice combination and it does work here. I don’t know what the deal with the saffron is, but it’s not too distracting.

However, just for what it is, this is a solid wear. If it sounds appealing to you and you can get a good price, Indian Garnet, would be a fine buy. Not a total mass appeal scent, though, it doesn’t offend either.

Update: I’m pretty sure that this perfume is discontinued. It’s even not widely available at the moment, on the secondary market. So, I don’t think most people will be getting an amazing deal, if they want to try Indian Garnet.

Toy Boy by Moschino

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Toy Boy has been gaining popularity since its release back in 2019, as such it’s time for a full testing and review by me. Honestly, I was kind of put off by the dumb name, and the fragrance contained in the little bear bottle.

Nevertheless, it was time to give it a go. As usual, I will cover how it smells, performs, when it can be worn, and if this Moschino fragrance is worth a purchase.

What does Moschino Toy Boy Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, nutmeg, bergamot, rose, clove, magnolia, pink pepper, vetiver, sandalwood, musk, and more

Click here to try: MOSCHINO Toy Boy Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

After the initial spray, I was struck by how different this fragrance felt versus the typical men’s cologne. I pick up on a light bergamot note and very nice pear. It feels juicy and has that citrus touch, which gives Toy Boy a bit of vibrance.

All of this is contained within, the embrace of the rose, magnolia, and pink pepper notes. I’m not a big fan of rose, so I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this all that much, but I do.

The rose here is very different than what is found in something like Dunhill Desire, it’s got a ‘green’ aroma, is flanked by magnolia and the growing presence of vetiver.

The rose is closer to that found in Burberry Brit, though, that’s where the comparisons between these two fragrances ends.

The spice in the Burberry is more pronounced than in this Moschino.

It’s got a light spiciness lurking in the background throughout the wear, but never really hits you over the head with it. Pink pepper and some nutmeg. I don’t personally detect the supposed clove note, that’s in here.

There’s not too much change on my skin from this Moschino cologne. It really blends together well. I’d say, that I get more musk and vetiver, as it dries down. Those are joined by pear and this greenish wild rose. A bit of wood sprinkled in there, with the other notes seeming like one mass.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Toy Boy doesn’t have massive sillage. Though, I think that it sneaks up on you. Initially, I thought this was a lighter fragrance, but I kept getting strong whiffs from it throughout the day. It’s not a monster, but you could potentially overspray it.

Update: The more that I wear Toy Boy and also applying it to clothes/fabrics, the strong that I think the sillage is. I’ve bumped it up a few points on my scoring.

On my skin, it lasts right around 8 hours. Not elite, but for the price, this stuff delivers some great value. No real complaints with how this scent performs.

Update: I can sometimes get this EDP to stretch out to 9 hours of wear, but it’s pretty consistent with that 8 hour mark. 

Seasonally, I think that I’d like to wear it more in the springtime. However, I wore it outside on a chilly winter day, and it was actually extremely pleasant. I probably wouldn’t go with this during the summer, but any other time is fine.

 

I know the bottle and the name scares some people off from trying this, but it really isn’t a teenager’s sort of fragrance. Yes, younger guys can absolutely wear this, but it would fit well with any age group.

It does have a unisex and floral aroma, so, it’s not going to be for everyone. To me, the floral notes are great and don’t distract at all. Toy Boy is an attractive aroma that will probably draw plenty of complements. It’s safe for work, casual, dates, semi-formal occasions, etc. 

Really, it’ll come down to how you feel about the smell, as this one has plenty of performance and versatility. It does stand out from the crowd and I’ve been loving using this one as a change of pace versus my other fragrances.

Overall Impressions of Toy Boy by Moschino

Do I like this scent? Yes, I do. The more that I wear it, the more that my esteem for it grows. I’m not that impressed with it, if I press my nose closer to my skin. It’s just the aroma cloud that surrounds me, smells really good. 

The performance is solid, the price is right, and it brings something different to the table in a world of Sauvage knock-offs.

Again, not everyone is going to like this nor will it fit with the style of every man. Toy Boy is a scent that you’ve got to try out before you commit. 

I was skeptical going in, but I thoroughly enjoyed wearing this fragrance. I’m for sure going to finish out this mini bottle and decide whether or not I want a full one.  

I’m not sure that I’d call this one a safe blind buy, as it such a floral scent. But, it does certainly seem to have a mass appeal and isn’t all that pricey, so I can’t imagine being super bummed out by it. This is a great release from Moschino, after so many that were just ‘decent’.