By Designer

8 Best Smelling Perry Ellis Colognes for Men

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Perry Ellis doesn’t usually come up when talking about the ‘best’ designer fragrances on the market. However, this is one of those houses that definitely plays a role within the industry. You will find that most Ellis colognes are available for under $30 and almost universally smell good.

This is a brand that presents so much value for the guy looking to smell fantastic without having to break the bank. In this post, I am going to present what I feel are the 8 best Perry Ellis colognes that have been released thus far.

Favorite Perry Ellis Fragrances for Men

Warm Spice for Winter

Perry Ellis M for Men, 3.4 fl oz Eau de Toilette– Sweet vanilla meets spice from cinnamon and anise to create a fragrance that is sneaky good.  Very warm and fresh, wintertime kind of cologne, that does a solid job at filling that niche.

M is a very nice inexpensive option, as it has a similar scent to Chanel Allure. Not exactly the same, but you do get a close vibe. Creamy vanilla/tonka bean, with spices, and dries down with a bit of a powdery finish.

Citrus and Wood

Perry Ellis Night By Perry Ellis for Men Eau-de-toillete Spray, 3.4 Ounce–A citrus/woody scent that delivers blood orange and lemon notes in a very pleasant presentation. It has a woody dry down that has mossy elements. Don’t really get the ‘night’ moniker, but it is a damn nice cologne.

I really like blood orange in fragrances, it doesn’t get used often enough. The citrus is the star, but, the woodsy base brings it all together with a fresh and somewhat spicy kick. Also, a bit of an amber in there, as well.

Not super complex or one that’s going to stand out with its boldness. But, it gives you a nice experience at a low price.

Reach for the Sky

Sky by Perry Ellis– If you can get this one for fairly cheap, it’s worth checking out as an easygoing daily wear.

Citrus and a light mint note kick things off up top. It’s clean, bright, and sitting on top of a further watery base thanks to the aquatic notes and a touch of violet leaf.

Style wise, this is a lot like other scents like Polo Blue or even Sauvage to some extent. But, Sky is more aquatic and less woody than the Dior in particular. Though, in the dry down there is a good bit of ambroxan.

I will say that it doesn’t smell exactly like any of them, just you know along the lines of what you’re getting here, if you’ve smelled those types of colognes before.

Crisp and watery with some lavender, but mostly that citrus aquatic vibe is what this one is all about.

Midnight Amber

Midnight by Perry Ellis– Not sure if this is a flanker of Night or the brand just continued the theme in their naming. Either way, Midnight is another great release from Perry Ellis, this time giving you an amber and citrus blend.

The opening is an orange note with the ever-present amber and some spiciness provided by cinnamon and rosemary. Beyond that, vanilla gives it a further delicious creaminess, particularly in the dry down when it pairs with the amber.

The thing is, Midnight is not a heavy cologne that will bog you down, it does have a great freshness to it. The citrus, spice, and geranium make sure of that.

Performance is okay. This one is available for cheap, so, don’t expect some complete beast or anything. For the price? I think Perry Ellis Midnight is well worth getting.

The Acqua Alternative

Perry Ellis 360 Red for Men, 3.4 fl oz EDT– Famously well-performing and great smelling fragrance that is available at a low price. Has a familiar blend of citrus with a bit of a spicy kick. Solid cologne all around.

360 Red by Perry Ellis gets compared often with Acqua di Gio. While they do share quite a similar structure, this one has much more of a citrus based aroma, with its lemon and lime start. Later, clove and cinnamon provide its spicy and more masculine edge.

Fresh and inexpensive, with guys swearing by this cologne for years.  360 Red Review

Fresh, Clean, Sporty

Perry Ellis Reserve By Perry Ellis For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– A softer, clean scent that has a hint of sweetness and almost soapy quality to it. A nice casual everyday wear, that won’t overpower, but has a intriguing aroma.

Reserve is a fresh blend with fruits, florals, woods, and musk all mixed together. A 90s throwback with a nice dose of lavender and juniper berries, after that citrus punch in the opening. Good energy and one that can be worn daily or in more casual situations.

The Other 360

Perry Ellis 360 White for Men, 3.4 fl oz Eau de Toilette Spray-The other 360 flanker fragrance on the list, 360 White,  has that Le Male vibe but seems much softer and different enough to stand on its own. Light with floral sweetness and a minty body.

The main difference is going to be the citrus notes up top and the powdery quality is a bit ramped up. Not too heavy and quite versatile for an inexpensive cologne.

It is harder to find a bottle nowadays, as I think that it’s been discontinued. 360 White is still around, so, I’ll keep it on the list but you’ll probably have to search a bit to find it at a good price.

A Bit Like Bleu

Perry Ellis Pour Homme, 3.4 fl oz EDT– Perry Ellis Pour Homme is a clean citrus and spicy fragrance for men, that does a close impression to Bleu de Chanel. At least, for something at this price point.

Beyond that, you get cardamom warmth, lavender, and a lighter woody base and musky dry down. It’s not a terrible performer and will get you plenty of use, just don’t expect a marathon runner. Quite a good cheapie alternative to Bleu, that gives you a nice orange note in lieu of the Chanel citruses.

Best Le Male by JPG Fragrances (Ranked)

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Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier is a series that has been going for about 30 years, at this point. In that time, the brand has released plenty of new editions or special bottles under this fragrance title.

While most of these scents are no longer available on the market, there are some which are more recent, that can be tracked down. On this page, I want to rank the Le Male colognes that I have reviewed on the site, and update it as newer releases emerge. 

Best Le Male Colognes (Ranked)

Still My Favorite

Ultra Male– This one is not going to be a daily wear for most. Even for me, it’s one that I only go to on occasion, and for that reason it may not be the one that you buy. But, I do still think it’s my favorite.

Ultra Male represents a lot of the qualities that I like about JPG colognes. It’s bold, out there, and doesn’t  need to be a signature scent. I’ll wear something else for the day to day, but I want some fragrances in my collection that hit hard and are borderline obnoxious.

Ultra gives you a massive pear and cinnamon combination. It’s sweet and spicy and fills up a room. I’ve got an older bottle, so, I’m not sure if they’ve toned it down in more recent bottles…but this is very potent juice.

Lavender, mint, and vanilla also come through. Later, the lavender and vanilla are the main attractions, along with some amber.

Ultra Male isn’t the Gaultier for everyone or every use case, despite its popularity. Though, it’s a very good release for what it is. Ultra Male review

A Better Elixir

Le Male Elixir Absolu– Yep, this has already climbed up to the second spot on my list of favorite Le Male fragrances. I’m not sure if this one has gotten a positive reception since its release, but I wear this one way more often than the original Elixir.

Admittedly, the opening is kind of shaky and not my favorite. Once we get into things, I think Elixir Absolu really starts to shine, and I thoroughly enjoy wearing this.

This one opens with lavender as the big player, along with some warmer spice, and the plummy sweetness. Now, it’s not a juicy plum note, it’s subtle but present.

Lavender, tonka bean, and some smooth sweetness highlights most of the wear. Performance is great and it’s a better formula than the first Elixir. Elixir Absolu review

Best Daily Wear

Le Male Le Parfum– This is the one to go with, if you want something that’s going to be an easy to wear and attractive cologne for day and night use.

It opens with a prominent cardamom note and some other spice (pretty sure it’s cinnamon). Lavender and vanilla already begin to emerge. However, early on the iris is the main focus of this scent.

The dry down? Lavender, vanilla, and amber.

This is a really good cologne for most guys. It’s an easy no brainer sort of wear. There are plenty of other iris fragrance options. A more recent release, Society Extreme, is one that I bought and like more than this Gaultier.

Yet, I have to give this one its due, even if I tend to like the bolder Le Male scents. Le Parfum review

First Elixir

Le Male Elixir– I’m going to put Elixir here. It’s still one that I like, but Elixir Absolu has pulled away as my favorite between them, to the point that I barely spray this one on anymore.

This is still likeable, but you’re going to have to appreciate a very sweet and loud sort of cologne. This one is warmer and thicker, with its honey note and amber. Yet, it has a cooling spiced opening act with mint.

Lavender, honey, amber, tobacco, and tonka bean are major players here. The scent does develop and has different facets to enjoy during the wear. I’d like Absolu more, but some of you might still want to go with this one. Le Male Elixir review

Lover

Le Male Lover– I don’t have too much experience with this one. But, when I tried it out, I liked what it does. If you don’t like the Elixir entries to this series, Le Male Lover could be a good alternative for you.

It’s a better version of Le Male In the Navy. More complex with a better use of vanilla and the oceanic accord. In the Navy feels much thinner and has less going on than does Lover.

Based on my limited testing with this, I’d put it about equal with the original Le Male. It’s good, maybe I’d find it to be a notch below, if I gave it some more time. But, if you find it at a discounter, I think it can be a good pick up.

The Original

Le Male– I’ve gone through so many periods over the years of loving this fragrance and then not wanting to wear it at all. That’s basically what happened again with my latest smaller bottle of Le Male.

Yes, it’s the original. Yes, it’s a classic. It still has its positives and can be worth it, but I’m not always enamored with the result.

It opens up spicy and with its vanilla already coming out and never leaving. It’s a mix of coolness and warmth, before the smoother lavender and vanilla blend really take hold. Orange blossom is another floral note in the mix.

At times, Le Male is creamy, but it does have more of a powdery finish overall. Still a nice buy. Le Male review

Not so Terrible

Le Male Terrible– You probably won’t find many bottles of Le Male Terrible still around, but just in case, I’ll put it on the list since I’ve already reviewed it. It came out back in 2010.

Overall? It’s pretty good. Quite similar to the original Le Male, but Terrible opens up with pink pepper in lieu of the mint note, along with a grapefruit.

Cardamom is also missing from the mix. Lavender and vanilla are still the leads with this one. However, vetiver, pink pepper, and amber also lend support to make it more of a unique blend.

If you can find this for really cheap and want a different take on Le Male EDT, it warrants a try. Anything above $50-60? I’d almost certainly pass. Le Male Terrible review

Fly with JPG

Le Male Airlines– Airlines had potential. The opening act with the cardamom is really attractive. Much of the time, this one feels like a relative of 1 Million Royal. Overall, it’s a nice cologne, just not one that you need to have.

My bottle was $30 or so, a few years ago. Even with that being the case, I don’t wear Le Male Airlines very often. I wore it a few times in autumn and winter, just to go walk outside with.

Light citrus and artemisia break up the usual Le Male pacing. The Cardamom is really amped up here, but it still has the familiar mint and cinnamon combination in the blend.

The back half is less fresh and spicy. It’s cooler and softer, with the lavender and some woods taking hold of the composition. Airlines review

On the Ocean

Le Male in the Navy– I’m not sure if bottles of In the Navy are still easy to find a decent price, but honestly, don’t bother. This isn’t a worthwhile fragrance and I would rather wear Airlines versus this, any day of the week.

Peppermint, vanilla, ambergris, and an oceanic accord. I thought that it might have some style with its simplicity, but was ultimately disappointed.

I do like the peppermint in the beginning, but the rest of the way its a watery mix of vanilla and ambergris. Nothing too spectacular here and not one to track down. In the Navy review

Ranking Le Beau by JPG Fragrances

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Le Beau is a much newer line than the more popular Le Male fragrances by Gaultier. But, they have become quite popular in their own right. The question is, what is the best smelling Le Beau from JPG? Or better yet, which is the top option for you?

On this page, I keep track of these scents and rank each of them from first to my least favorite.

Ranking JPG Le Beau Colognes

Trip to Paradise

Paradise Garden– The tropical summertime theme may limit its use case for a lot of people. However, in terms of how each of these colognes smells, Paradise Garden is my favorite from this line.

The opening blends sweetness, freshness, a cooling spice, and an aquatic quality throughout. It carries a greenish aroma from the fig that pairs beautifully with the coconut, and I personally detect a substantial dose of the ginger note.

The fig leans more toward the fruit rather than the leaf, though it seems like you get a blend of both parts. Sweet and green.

Salt? Not too much that I can detect.

While the coconut has a more watery quality, there’s still some creaminess to the mixture. Nice support from sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean ensures this.

I get more of the sandalwood during the dry down period. Really nice performance, too. Le Beau Paradise Garden review

Pineapple, Coconut, Creamy

Le Beau Le Parfum– Le Parfum, to me, is a much more interesting variant of the original Le Beau formula. More depth and almost as good as Paradise Garden.

At first,  I get a really tropical vibe with the pineapple coming out of the gate strong and the coconut note sitting underneath. It’s juicy, creamy, and sweet with an added light spicy kick from the ginger note.

The ginger will fall away and the pineapple will lose its prominence at the top. Coconut, tonka bean, amber, and a general set of woods will dry this one up and take away the juiciness of that tropical vibe, at least.

It’s crazy how quickly that aspect fades from the picture. Sure, that sweetness stays around for the duration, just not in the same way.

Sandalwood and the tonka bean really do assist a lot at adding the creamy finish to this one. Le Parfum review

Flowers Everywhere

Le Beau Flower Edition– This one is going to have a lot more of a narrow reach in terms of its fans. This is due to its floral composition. While not completely amazing, I actually have enjoyed this release from JPG.

Le Beau Flower Edition starts off being sweet, fruity, green, and fresh. I was hesitant about this one when I saw that it had a violet or violet leaf note.

This, along with the kumquat and slight lemon pairing up top is surprisingly good. It replaces the coconut note found in other Le Beau releases.

Kumquat is a note that’s not used too often, but I don’t think either this or the violet takes over completely in this early stage. I did think that this one might be a lot fresher than it is.

It’s there for sure, but once the kumquat starts to fade, there is a somewhat musky/greenish transition before it settles into a violet led ending. Flower Edition full review

The Original

Le Beau EDT– I don’t find this one to be bad, but Le Beau EDT is my least favorite of the bunch.

Le Beau EDT starts off with its citrus and coconut wood blended together. It’s got a fresh and blue sort of tone to it in the opening. Pretty simple up top.

To me, this one really gets going once the tonka bean note has ramped up and the bergamot has settled. That’s when the creaminess of the fragrance unfolds.

Le Beau EDT, again, is a likeable cologne. As a daily wear for younger guys, it works well. The opening act isn’t great, but that dry down is pretty nice with the tonka bean and wood coming through more.

Ranking Y by YSL Fragrances

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Y is one of the main and most popular lines for YSL currently. It’s getting closer to a decade since it’s initial release and there have now been plenty of iterations. But, which of them actually smell the best?

In this post, I am going to rank the Y colognes from my favorite to least favorite. I’ve linked my reviews for each of them, as well.

Best Y by YSL Scents Ranked

Note: I’m ranking everything here except for Y Live. I’m pretty sure that I’ve smelled that one, but I cannot recall it at all. So, rather than try to place this discontinued fragrance, I’m leaving it off.

Still the One

Y EDP– I still think the eau de parfum is the best one overall. Though, the apple and sage might be too intense for some people, and you might opt for Le Parfum or the EDT instead.

The EDP version takes the bergamot of the original and pairs it with a crisp apple note at the top. Meanwhile, you also get the cool spice of ginger, and the trio is quite captivating.

The apple is really great. Too often you can get weak or very unnatural smelling apple notes in men’s fragrances, but here, it becomes the star of the show. That top paired with the citrus and that familiar ginger aroma is just completely delicious.

The secondary layer under this main trio at the start is from amber, tonka bean, and a bit of juniper berry.

The performance is great. Y EDP lasts long and is also quite powerful. Y EDP review

The Parfum

Y Le Parfum– The opening act of Le Parfum is pretty similar in many ways to both Y EDP and EDT.

You get the apple and ginger combination up top, along with the sage and geranium already peaking through.

The difference is, Le Parfum isn’t nearly as bold, has more of a sweetness, while being greenish and somewhat dark. Yes, you do still get the citrus/fruity notes, it’s grapefruit here. Though, the addition of the aldehydes gives this one a bright/sweet/slightly fresh aroma.

Once I get past this initial phase, I really begin to enjoy Y Le Parfum. It becomes softer, with hints of sage still providing an edge, but with an attractive sweetness.

Apple, tonka bean, lavender, cedar, and geranium are running the show. A somewhat dark sweetness with a fresh woody base. It just doesn’t have the same density to my nose, as those others.

The final stage is lavender, tonka bean, and a mix of the remaining fruity and woody notes.

Apparently, they’ve significantly changed this formula for 2025. So, I’m talking about the original bottles here. Find one of those if you can. Though, I’m not sure how much of a difference there actually is. Y Le Parfum review

Higher Priced Concentration

Y Elixir– I think that the relative simplicity and pricing of Elixir caused this one to get somewhat of a negative reaction. But, on terms of how it smells, this is a very enjoyable and versatile cologne.

The geranium here is the one that is found in both EDP and Intense. But, a much more prominent role. Sometimes geranium can have a slight apple like smell to it, but I’m sure they just added a touch of the EDP mix to create a small hint of Y EDP’s opening act.

Nonetheless, that blue-ish tone is very much muted.

Lavender and geranium are the stars here, particularly the latter. The lavender gives this one a clean and soapy kind of aroma. But, that is more than offset by the spicy, earthy, crisp, woodsy freshness of the geranium.

Very cold and fresh in these early stages. Not as blue or bold as EDP for example. Though, this one has some depth and I enjoy how tame and easy to wear it is.

This is a very good option for a low key daily wear, that still has plenty of performance. Y Elixir review

The EDT

Y EDT– This is a very likeable fragrance. It’s a good one to get if you think that the EDP is too strong. This one is lighter and cleaner, great for daily wear. Plus, you can usually find a bottle for cheaper than others on the list.

It did get a slight revamp after its initial release. But, the ‘newer’ version has quite a lot of overlap with the original batches. YSL was pretty quick to change the formula, even slightly.

I think this might actually be some people’s favorite out of all of the options. It’s a great entry level cologne, not too challenging, but delivers plenty to enjoy. Y EDT review

Summer Fresh

Y Eau Fraiche– Eau Fraiche served as the summertime edition of the Y lineup. It wasn’t amazing by any stretch of the imagination. However, I thought it was a nice, if pretty simple fragrance.

Y Eau Fraiche kicks off with that immediately recognizable Y blend of notes. Here, you get overlap with the EDT from lemon, ginger, and mint in particular. Gone are the sage, pineapple, and apple. Very much cleaner and brighter than the original, but with a spicier bite.

There is a black pepper note, which joins that mint, and ginger. Cold and refreshing like a lemonade on a hot day.

As it moves along in the wear, the pepper and ginger fade away from my skin, and I get more geranium and cedar. Eau Fraiche starts smelling a bit more like the EDT, with less of the cold lemony punch, that started us off. Y Eau Fraiche review

Rounding things out

Y EDP Intense– I didn’t hate this one. I think that it’s an okay scent overall, but just not better than anything else on the list (maybe Eau Fraiche).

The opening of Y EDP Intense is pretty familiar, in terms of what you get with the rest of the series. The same blue-ish aroma is there early, along with the powerful sage note from Y Eau de parfum.

Intense doesn’t have the apple note, so, people who weren’t a fan of its sweetness may be pleased. It is replaced by a much shorter-lived juniper berry. I like its pairing here with the sage and other ingredients.

Early on you get a light bergamot, to go along with the cooler fresh spiciness. Geranium, ginger, and that sage note are all present creating a nice aromatic aroma.

I personally get around 20-30 minutes of this phase of the fragrance, before it begins to shift quite a bit. Things get earthier, warmer, less spicy.

After that, it’s kind of boring. Nothing too unique, but this one has a heavier patchouli and vetiver with the lavender note also hanging around. It’s always just been mid to me. Y EDP Intense review

Devotion Pour Homme by D&G

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Devotion is a newer series for both men and women by D&G. The women’s side of things got a head start, before Devotion Pour Homme was released in 2025. I recently bought a sample of this cologne to test it out and see what it’s all about.

What does it smell like? Does Devotion Homme last long? Is this Dolce & Gabbana fragrance worth a try?

Devotion Pour Homme Overview

Notes include: lemon, coffee, patchouli

Click here to try: Devotion Homme at Sephora

My Full Review

Here’s how they describe it: Dolce & Gabbana Devotion For Men Eau de Parfum celebrates unwavering and unconditional devotion, the power of love, and the joy of life. The fragrance, anchored by the timeless Sacred Heart, reflects the essence of a determined man, confidently guided by his instincts.

The opening is a warm roasted coffee note sitting underneath a giant squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon is pretty intense for a few minutes, before fading behind the coffee.

This isn’t really a coffee bean sort of smell or the grounds, this is like a literal interpretation of what a cup of coffee smells like. It’s spiced and given that citrus enhancement, but that’s what is here with this D&G cologne.

So, if you’re not into that, you probably won’t enjoy Devotion. At least the opening act.

A little bit further along, you start to get more of the patchouli note. Even that, isn’t enough to unseat the coffee from being the main focus of this scent.

It begins to be more of a coffee and woody/woodsy sort of aroma. Note sure which wood note is here, but there’s something underneath the patchouli and coffee. Things are still somewhat spicy, but this just seems more like a warm aroma. The lemon is pretty much just a sparkle now.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening spray does have some decent power behind it. It’s not a super heavy coffee blend or anything, but it’s got some reach in that first hour or so.

After that, this Dolce & Gabbana cologne will have a moderate projection, that trends fairly quickly to the lighter end of things.

On my skin, Devotion Pour Homme sticks around for about 7 hours. Nothing amazing with the performance here, but solid enough.

Seasonally, this is an autumn through springtime wear. So long as it’s not too hot or humid out, Devotion should be able to work.

This would be a good fragrance for younger guys, as far as daily wears go. It’s not formal or something that most would wear to the office. Nightlife, would be good. It’s not a massive projector, but its gourmand qualities are attractive.

Overall Impressions of Devotion

Overall, do I like Devotion? I do like it somewhat. I’m not sure what the hate this has gotten is all about, it’s a pretty good fragrance, not amazing but likeable. I guess this is more of a love/hate cologne for a lot of people.

The opening spray isn’t too amazing, but I do think that once the strength of the lemon wears off a bit, it’s an enjoyable enough scent. Just sort of harsh to kick things off. I like the coffee and the slight spiciness of the mix. It does smell like a cup of joe. Then, it softens into something else.

Again, I’m not in love with this one, and won’t be buying a bottle for myself. But, for the time that I’ve had it on, there is enough to like here.

When compared to the other D&G sample that I received, Light Blue Capri in Love, I think that it is a bit better than is Devotion.

If you’re interested I would for sure try to get this when it’s discounted, because I don’t think it’s too worthwhile at retail prices.