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!

Y EDT vs Eau Fraiche Comparison

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Y EDT has spawned four other flanker cologne since its release a few years back. One of them, was last year’s Y Eau Fraiche. A lighter and fresh take on the Y DNA. Which one of these fragrances is better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy? I’ve worn and reviewed both and share my thoughts on the head to head in this post.

Tale of the Tape: Y EDP vs EDT

Y EDT

Notes include: bergamot, ginger, aldehydes, violet leaf, geranium, sage, cedar, musk, incense, ambergris, fir

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3oz

Read my original Review: Y EDT

Y Eau Fraiche

Notes include: lemon, pepper, ginger, mint, juniper, lavender, geranium, and cedar

My Review: Y Eau Fraiche

Opening

Update: YSL released an updated version of Y EDT in 2022. It’s slightly different from the original released in 2017. This post is about the original 2017 version. Everything still basically applies, however.

Y EDT opens up with a cool and crisp aroma. There is a light bergamot note, along with aldehydes, which gives the EDT a bright and sunny disposition. Underneath that, is violet leaf, ginger, and a light ambergris. It is a very good smell, light, and clean.

Eau Fraiche shares lots of overlap with EDT. It has the lemon, ginger, and mint. However, it also does away with plenty of the other notes. It’s actually cleaner, fresher, and has a bit of a spicier kick with the black pepper note.

While they are somewhat similar at the start, there is enough distinction between them in the early stages? Which do I prefer? I like Eau Fraiche. It’s got a cold vibe and really comes across great in the warmer weather.

Edge: Eau Fraiche

Projection

Y EDT has a moderate sillage for much of the wear. Noticeable, but not heavy or a super projecting monster. It does settle much lighter, however.

Eau Fraiche is the weaker concentration and so never hits the same level of power as EDT. It’s a lighter summer wear, but actually is pretty good for this sort of scent. Just not to the same level as its competitor.

Edge: Y EDT

Longevity

With EDT, I pretty consistently get 7 hours of wear. Not spectacular, but passable. Eau Fraiche on the other hand, gets me 6 consistently and 7 on occasion. Again, the scent won’t be as powerful, but it almost keeps pace with the original.

Edge: EDT

Versatility

Y Eau Fraiche is a rather limited fragrance. It’s built for late spring/summer and is best worn during the daytime. That’s what it’s built for.

Y EDT is more of an all around daily wear, that can venture into pretty much any season, and many situations.

Edge: Y EDT

Overall Scent

So, with Y EDT having better performance and versatility it is going to be the winner, right? For me? Not exactly.

Point blank, I like the way Eau Fraiche smells more so than EDT. Yes, the end up quite similar, especially in the latter stages. However, I really like that cold lemon and summertime vibe. I wore Eau Fraiche at the beach and it worked very well.

Sure, it’s got a limited use case, but it’s just a better scent. In fact, EDT is my least favorite of the Y lineup.

That’s not to say that it is a bad fragrance, it isn’t. Though, it isn’t spectacular either. If you need an all around cologne, you could do worse. And if you’re in that situation and choosing between these two, go with EDT.

The better scent is Eau Fraiche.

Winner: Eau Fraiche

9 Best Gardenia Scented Perfumes for Women

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Gardenia is a fairly popular ingredient in many women’s perfumes. This white floral is both distinct in its aroma and well-loved by folks around the world. It often gets paired with tuberose and assorted greenish notes, but my list, will not be strictly limited to those types.

In the end, I have selected 9 ladies’ perfumes, which I consider to be the best gardenia scented fragrances on the market. Obviously, this is opinion, and there are plenty of other great ones but I wanted to keep things concise.

What are the Best Smelling Gardenia Perfumes?

Creamy Gardenia and Tuberose

Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion By Annick Goutal For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz– Creamy smooth scent with the gardenia flanked by jasmine and tuberose. Gardenia Passion does have a noticeable orange blossom, in the mix, and this is a big time floral perfume.

It dries down with a bit of a greenish aroma, like plant stems, to go along with the flower petals.

It’s getting harder to come by a bottle, but it is still affordable, when you do. It’s got enough of an earthy edge to keep things interesting. Update: Yeah, it’s got very sparse availability nowadays.

Realistic Gardenia Scent

Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia 1 oz Eau de Parfum Spray Fragrance for Women– A very good entry from the Estee Lauder Private collection, it is of course highlighted, by the two namesake notes.

They sit at the top and dominate the fragrance, but the background players are actually quite noticeable in this one.

Rosewood, carnation, and some lilac play their parts and move in and out of the scent during the wear.

The gardenia is stronger than the tuberose, for the most part, but the tuberose does have its moments in the lead. Nice sweetness and a very lifelike gardenia note.

Armani Antigua

Gardenia Antigua by Armani– This is my newer addition to the list and one that I liked quite a bit when I smelled it. I don’t think it was massively popular since its release, but Antigua is worth checking out.

Gardenia Antigua is a sophisticated and classic use of gardenia. Light and gorgeous with a musky undertone throughout the wear.

Neroli and mandarin give it a touch of a citrusy aroma with ylang-ylang and jasmine providing the further floral backup of our target note.

Bright with enough sweetness to keep things delightful. It is apart of the more expensive Armani Prive line. So, it might not be a blind buy for everyone. Though, Antigua is a perfume that gardenia lovers should try to smell.

Gardenia and Fruit Blend

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci Eau de Toilette Spray 3.3oz for women– So, this Gucci is a change of pace on the list, as it isn’t a ‘pure’ floral gardenia. Instead, it also incorporate fruit notes such as berries and pear, to give the perfume a different dynamic.

Nonetheless, it is a supremely fresh fragrance, with sweet fruits and a clean aroma. The opening is the pear blossom, citrus/berries, and brown sugar. Freshness rather than some massive overpowering sugar bomb.

Frangipani also has a prominent role as the main floral attraction early on. But, the gardenia will then come much more into play, and become the focal point.

It dries down more floral than fruity, but that opening blend, is quite good and well worth a try.  Gorgeous Gardenia Review

Dewy Gardenia Perfume

Gardenia by Elizabeth Taylor for Women, Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3-Ounce– An inexpensive option with more of a green aroma, than just entirely, flower petals. Gardenia by Elizabeth Taylor is a bold option that includes lily-of-the-valley and a dewy fresh scent.

It can start off strong, but moves quickly into a lighter scent, but with a great all day longevity. Dries down with musk to go along with the lily and gardenia. A good one to pick up, without having to spend much.

This one has more of an overall flower garden fragrance, like after a light rain, versus just being a collection of petals.

Popular Fresh Fragrance

Kai Eau De Parfum– Fairly straightforward, very feminine, and super gorgeous gardenia based perfume. Yes, there are other floral notes, which play the background, and create a bouquet effect. However, the gardenia note is in full bloom with Kai.

It is a very natural and classic sort of ladies scent, definitely one for the gardenia lovers. Kai has a fairly green profile, but with a airiness, to the entire composition.

best gardenia perfumes

Luxury Gardenia Scent

Creed Fleurs de Gardenia Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 2.5 Ounce– A higher end option from a designer known for using choice ingredients, in their fragrances. Gardenia is joined by lily and peony, for a floral based scent, but one that is different from the others listed.

Underneath that, is hints or rose and musk, and some pink pepper. Fleurs de Gardenia is a fresh bouquet with plenty of interesting earthy and green undertones throughout.

This is somewhat like the Elizabeth Taylor scent, listed above. This one has that musk note, however, and more of a soapy vibe.

Inexpensive Tropical Gardenia

Jovan Island Gardenia For Women Cologne Spray 1.5 Ounce– Another cheapie, but a very good gardenia scented fragrance.

Island Gardenia is a bit of a tropical take on this style of perfume, with light notes of peach and coconut, at the top.

The gardenia is joined by tuberose and features a creamy smooth finish with a bit of vanilla. Not too heavy, but a fantastic deal at the price, for those who love this ingredient.

Classic Style Fragrance

Penhaligon’s Gardenia Eau de Toilette, 3.4 fl. oz.– A soft and sweet blend of gardenia and tuberose, this one is a classic that has been around for ages. At times, it is green or sweeter, but it always ends with white flowers taking back control.

Other floral notes dance under the main attractions, providing bursts of lovely smelling petals, with that sweet attractive ambiance that the entire thing provides.

Very solid performance and just a wonderful all around wear. This one can be super pricey, just FYI.

Explorer Ultra Blue by Montblanc

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Explorer Ultra Blue is the follow up to the very popular Explorer from Montblanc. It was released in 2021, but I grabbed a sample more recently to test it out and see if it was actually worthwhile. How does Ultra Blue Smell? Does it last long? Is it better than the original Explorer?

What does Explorer Ultra Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, bergamot, sea notes, fruits, ambergris, wood, patchouli, leather

Click here to try: Explorer Ultra Blue

My Full Review

Here’s how Mont Blanc describes it: Explorer Ultra Blue celebrates the Blue found throughout nature. Intense, infinite, and fresh, the eau de parfum reveals a citrus woody marine fragrance. Embark on an epic journey.

The opening of Ultra Blue doesn’t come across like the original Explorer. Actually, the opening of this fragrance is a lot like Light Blue Living Stromboli with how it smells.

Citrus, pink pepper, aquatic notes, and vetiver are the overlaps between them. This one starts out blended more, with a less intense use of the pink pepper (heavily featured in the D&G cologne).

After about ten minutes, this will separate away from that comparison, and more towards being its own thing.

Ultra Blue does have its own overlap with the original Explorer, but the smell is different. Notes shared, include: bergamot, pink pepper, leather, vetiver, amber. Different weightings and you replace the cacao with sea notes (which is simply going to be different).

It’s fresh, with a hint of citrus, a salty marine accord, and woods. Actually, some smoothness in there from a touch of leather.

That’s my dry down. A light amber, mixing with a mix of the marine, woods, and some leather. Not super deep or complicated.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so does have a nice punch to it. It’ll extend out to about a seven-ish foot radius from where you sprayed, at its peak. By the end of that hour, it’s come closer to the three foot range.

So, Explorer Ultra Blue does pretty quickly dissipate with its power and ability to leave a scent trail. Not a heavy scent, that’ll bog down on you. At it’s height, it does have a substantial heft for a fresh aquatic.

The longevity here isn’t all that great. It’s okay, on my skin, in the 5-6 hour range in total. The last couple of hours are pretty light and skin scent level.

Seasonally, this is a cologne that is more for the spring and summer months. But, honestly, I’d be fine with it anytime other than when it is really cold out. That fresh bite, might be too much.

It’s a clean and fresh daily wear. Not very formal, romantic, or a club beast. It’s one that you can wear to work (at most jobs), casually, or at school if you’re a student.

Ultra Blue is pleasant and probably not ever going to offend anyone.

Overall Impressions of Explorer Ultra Blue

Overall, do I like this cologne? It’s okay. I don’t hate it, but I’m sure that I’ll forget about this one in a short amount of time.

Ultra Blue isn’t unpleasant, but there’s not much going on here that really grabs my attention. The aquatic accord is pretty nice, the citrus isn’t that strong, and all of the other notes kind of end up blending together.

If you want an easy blue aquatic with a relatively pleasant woody base…this could fit the bill. Though, I’d want a massive discount for it. Ultra Blue is very serviceable, though never spectacular.

I do have a full bottle of Living Stromboli, which I purchased for review, and has a comparable opening. I prefer that Light Blue flanker to this and that was never cologne that I particularly loved.

Everything here is just fine. Smell is just fine, performance, quality, etc. The original had its somewhat different take on the Aventus style. Yet, it is a much better fragrance than this more unique Ultra Blue flanker.

Safanad by Parfums de Marly

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Today’s review is going to be of Safanad by Parfums de Marly. Now, I still have three or so fragrances from this house to do a write up on, from the samples I received a few months back. I’ve tried them all out, just need to organize my thoughts and post them on here.

Anyway, Safanad is our target for the moment. This PdM perfume was released in 2013. As usual, I will cover: what’s inside, how does it smell, develop, perform, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Safanad by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: orange blossom, sandalwood, vanilla, pear, ylang ylang, iris, orange, and amber

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Safanad for women Eau de Parfum 2.5 Oz./75 ml

Before we start let’s see how Parfums de Marly describes this perfume: Safanad “the Pure” Arabian breed, is personified through this Orange blossom note, leading to white flower bouquet, settling in a very sensual oriental base of sandalwood and vanilla.

My Full Review

So, the opening blast from Safanad is led by the orange blossom note and is flanked by ylang ylang and that familiar aroma of iris. It’s quite floral and does produce that bouquet effect that Parfums de Marly described it as.

The composition is dominated by the orange blossom, however, and the vanilla note emerges with is own sweetness to go along with the other floral notes. I do get a bit more of the iris than the ylang-ylang, but neither is particularly massive within the mix.

I’ve seen some other reviewers say that they get a lot of the ylang-ylang, but on my skin, it’s much less potent for whatever reason.

As it moves along, I do indeed pick up on a pear note in Safanad, it’s really not my favorite ingredient by any means but it is nice here. It’s there at the start, but gets overshadowed in my opinion, until things settle. A good little sparkle, but that’s about it.

About half an hour or so into the wear, it becomes a creamier sort of scent, with the iris and vanilla notes wrapped up in a warm and embracing amber.

It’s very well done and held together by the sandalwood base note. I’m not exactly sure what it is in this fragrance, but there is a very slight boozy element to Safanad, if I’m really paying attention. Can’t quite put put my finger on what is creating that vibe.

At the end, I get plenty of amber, vanilla, sandalwood, and orange blossom. Those are the notes that make it through and form the last dry down period.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Safanad has a moderate to strong sillage. I don’t find it overpowering, but wouldn’t want to go nuts with the sprays either. It’s exactly what it should be, not too powerful, but not wholly weak.

The longevity was decent on my skin, maybe 7 hours, but not more than that. Somewhat of a let down for something at this price point.

Not that you always need a perfume to go much longer than this. Though, it’s nice to know that it can when needed. I was expecting more, after it started off so strong.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance mostly for cooler weather. It’s like a comforting blanket, rather, than some airy fruity scent you’d find in the summer. It works for the autumn and winter. You could probably get away with it in springtime, also. I just wouldn’t like it in the high heat.

I don’t find this Parfums de Marly perfume to be particularly sexy, but it is attractive, and pleasant to smell. I’d say it’s a good daily wear, casual, or even formal.

It is definitely a more feminine fragrance and has a well put together vibe. Lovely, creamy, just not mouth watering.

Overall Impressions of Safanad

Overall, do I like Safanad? I do. It’s a nice floral scent for the wintertime and doesn’t go full on ‘green’ garden or bouquet the entire time. You get some lovely floral notes, amber warmth, creaminess/powdery, and a solid sandalwood peaking through.

This is a sweeter type of floral, without going full on sugary or becoming a cloying or immature mess.

The sweetness of the pear and the great orange blossom note are really a highlight. As is, the amber. I don’t have too many complaints with the way that this fragrance smells.

Again, maybe you’ll get more of the ylang-ylang than I do, but I also usually favor an iris note over that yellow flower. Just a preference and I also really enjoy orange blossom, in most fragrances.

The longevity isn’t amazing, but the performance here is pretty darn good overall. It’s a really pretty fragrance and one that has a unique-ish aroma, that will help one stand out from the crowd, while not being too in your face about it.

Safanad is among the better releases from Parfums de Marly. It gets overshadowed by Delina and some of the others, but is very good itself. If it sounds interesting to you, it’s well worth a try.

Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford

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Continuing on with my Tom Ford fragrance reviews, today we have a citrusy-floral perfume from the designer. This is a 2011 release entitled, Neroli Portofino. It is actually one of the more popular scents from the lineup, but what makes that so? How does it smell? What’s inside? Is Neroli Portofino even worth it?

What does Neroli Portofino Smell Like?

Notes include: neroli, orange flower, amber, mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, lavender, lemon

Click here to try: Tom Ford Neroli Portofino 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Neroli Portofino presents my nose with a citrus burst, mainly comprised of lemon, and a mix of floral notes particularly orange blossom at first and then the neroli.

The neroli will come into its own, later in the wear. But, initially I get a lot more orange blossom than the namesake of the perfume.

It’s juicy citrus with floral undertones and a noticeable soapy quality. It actually feels quite similar to other scents that I have tried, so this isn’t one that I can say is wholly unique.

Is there a spiciness here? Sure, neroli and the rosemary briefly give Neroli Portofino some kick, but it’s not to the same extent as some of the other Tom Ford releases, that share this same sort of style.

There is a nice amber note within the composition which adds a different aspect to this fragrance besides really clean citrus-flower. It creates a warm heart and adds to the inviting soapy vibe, though it isn’t very powerful.

As it dries down, I begin to get more of the neroli, less of the lemon and orange notes and the jasmine peaks through also. Neroli Portofino is admittedly pretty darn linear in its presentation.

Sure, the citrus subsides more, but it never really goes away to become just a floral fragrance. The only further development to my nose from here, is some lavender, entering the picture.

Neroli, jasmine, lavender, and some amber for the rest of the wear. Citrusy white floral, when boiled down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Neroli Portofino is pretty light to moderate. It’s by no means a bomb, but you’ll notice it for the first couple of hours with a decent amount of application. After that, this Tom Ford perfume, sits quite close to the skin.

If you want any sort of real projection with it, you’re going to have to spray heavy.

The longevity isn’t great, but I get about 5-6 hours of wear from it. It doesn’t seem like it lasts very long, because it isn’t one that projects itself very well, but it is still there.

Even still, 5 or 6 hours of wear at this price, is pretty bad. The performance takes Neroli Portofino down a few notches, in my book.

Seasonally, this is one for the spring and summer months. I’d lean more toward wearing it in the summertime, due to the great citrus elements. That’s actually my favorite aspect of this scent, the lemon and orange zesty element that hangs around during the wear.

Neroli Portofino is listed as a unisex perfume and it is. I’d say that it leans more toward the female side of things, since it is pretty flowery, but it isn’t overly so and not feminine enough to take away the unisex aspect.

Overall Impressions of Neroli Portofino

Overall, do I like it? I do enjoy the scent of Neroli Portofino, but I wouldn’t buy it for myself. It smells very nice, but the longevity and sillage isn’t great enough for me to justify paying Tom Ford prices for it.

Plus, there are many other scents that have a similar or almost exactly the same aroma for a better price. Good fragrance? Absolutely. Worth it? Ehhh, not for me at least.

I like the citrus notes and the opening act. The floral dry down is nice, but it gets a little too soapy. I prefer the fruits to the floral notes. Forte goes too hard with the citrus notes and is nicer, when it dries down.

The citrus and orange blossom, I usually prefer over neroli anyway. That being said, the neroli note in this is spectacular in its quality. Very fine stuff, if it’s a scent that you personally enjoy. Though, it’s not really a fragrance that everyone needs in their collection.