Fragrances

3 Best Victoria’s Secret Colognes for Men

by

Victoria’s Secret is well known as a brand that sells women’s underwear, clothing, accessories, and fragrances. However, it does occasionally venture into men’s products, notably its limited line of colognes. Now, there have been sporadic releases over the years, but which of these VS colognes smell the best? In this list, I will present the options in order, from my experience trying out each.

What are the Best Smelling Men’s Colognes by Victoria Secret?

Very Sexy– To me, the original Very Sexy is the best Victoria’s Secret cologne. It’s a fairly simple fragrance highlighted by an opening citrus burst, with light cinnamon spice, on top of a dry woody base.

The spice of cinnamon and sage is at its peak, in the beginning, but will later weaken in favor of the woodier aspects of the scent. The spice and the citrus can create a feeling of sharpness, but the scent becomes clean with a sweet edge.

I like this one, because it lives up to its name, always had a unique yet familiar vibe, and the performance was good. Plus, I could get compliments fairly regularly, back when I had a bottle. Haven’t tried in a long time, but this tops the list.

Very Sexy Platinum– I’m not going to give this the number one spot, but I feel Platinum is the second best overall. I was tempted to put it number three, due to the fact that it isn’t unique, but it’s probably better than the one below.

Very Sexy Platinum smells like a mix between a weaker old school bottle of A&F Fierce and Montblanc Legend. Neither of which is my favorite, but I respect what they bring to the table.

The main differences between Platinum and those fragrances, to me at least, is a less spicy profile and it feels woodier. This could be a better option nowadays versus Fierce, as the newer editions of that cologne, are not the same as its heyday.

Very Sexy 2– Very Sexy 2 is a nice cologne, but I think that it’s the third option, on the list. Although, I’d probably take a bottle over Platinum, because this does provide something different.

It’s light, with a semi-aquatic feel, and a nice woody base. This one feels much more like a freshie fragrance, than does Very Sexy, and less ‘sexy’. Nonetheless, Very Sexy 2 is an attractive and enjoyable wear.

A softer option, but if I could find a cheap bottle, I would definitely enjoy wearing this one. I like the blend of woods, after about an hour of wear, that aroma is very well done.

Fougere Royale by Houbigant

by

In this review, I am going to take a closer look at a modern relaunch of a classic fragrance from the 19th century, Houbigant’s Fougere Royale. This is one of the last men’s fragrance samples that I received with my last batch, so, I’m going to have to reorder more stuff to review once I finish with all of the ladies’ samples I have to go through and review.

As usual, I want to cover what it’s made of, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Fougere Royale Smell Like?

Notes include: oak moss, lavender, tonka bean, geranium, bergamot, chamomile, cinnamon

Click here to try: Houbigant Paris Fougere Royale Eau de Parfum-3.38 oz.

My Full Review

Upon the first sniff of Fougere Royale, I am immediately struck by the oak moss and lavender notes. Also, I notice how much it smells like Azzaro Pour Homme. These two colognes are almost dead ringers for one another. There is definitely a lot of overlap in the notes and the style of both of these scents, so if you like one, you’ll probably be into the other.

Fougere Royale has a very cool and crisp aroma to it that is very soothing and yet wholly masculine. It comes across as a clean and fresh scent that would be great for a more mature man.

There is a small but noticeable level of sweetness and citrus that comes across and supports the main oak moss and lavender tandem. As a fougere, this scent obviously has that green and outdoorsy kind of feel and it doesn’t get detracted from that path by any of the other notes.

Honestly, I’m never really wowed by this cologne but I do find that it is extremely well put together and they did an excellent job in producing this scent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s pretty moderate. It’s not an overpowering scent, and is towards the lighter side of things, but I wouldn’t call it weak by any stretch.

While it isn’t a huge or powerful fragrance, it does have pretty darn good longevity, I’ve been getting 7-8 hours of use from a few spritzes out of the sample vial.

Fougere Royale is probably best served as a casual or office wear scent. I actually think that it works really well here in the early spring weather and I think it could be pulled off for most of the year outside of the high heat of summer.

Overall Impressions of Fougere Royale

Overall, would I consider this as a buy? It’s nice, if you’re into the ‘green’ or fougere genre of fragrances. It’s not really my style but I think that this is a good scent.

It has so much similarity to Azzaro Pour Homme that if I wanted to buy one of these two, I’d simply go for the cheapest bottle available to me.

Fougere Royale is just one of those colognes that is solid all around, but doesn’t really ever separate itself enough for me to get too excited about it.

212 VIP Black vs 1 Million Comparison

by

When looking for a nightlife fragrance, something that you can wear out to the bars and stand out, the same names seem to come up. 1 Million by Paco Rabanne is one of those. Another, is the 212 VIP line, especially the original. However, that line has also spawned another nightlife wear, 212 Black. In this post, I want to compare 212 Black vs 1 Million. Which lasts longer? Which has better sillage? Which smells better?

Tale of the Tape: 212 VIP Black vs.1 Million

1 Million

Notes include: grapefruit, blood orange, rose, mint, cinnamon, amber, leather, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: 1 Million Cologne Review

212 VIP Black

Notes include: absinthe, leather, lavender, musk, vanilla, amber, anise

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Black Men Eau de Parfum 3.4oz / 100ml – Launched in 2017

Read my review: 212 VIP Black

Opening

1 Million has a well-known, sort of grape bubblegum opening, which is actually bold and intoxicating. Some folks, don’t like it, but I think it’s great and gets better thereafter.

1 Million opens up with leather, citrus, and rose. This combined creates that bubblegum sort of smell. It’s actually a really smooth leather, juicy orange and grapefruit. This is surrounded by a warm and bold amber, with hints of cooling mint. All of these notes, I happen to love, except rose…which is fine here.

VIP Black, on the other hand, has a boozy start with a hefty dose of absinthe. I really like the absinthe here, as it’s a different alcoholic note, from most compositions. 

Like it’s predecessor, Black has a warm amber note and spice, but it’s a weaker anise . Add to this, lavender and a quite faint leather note.

Which is better? I like the smooth, warm, and slightly spicy profile of 212 VIP Black. However, I still prefer the interesting and classic start to 1 Million. It’s not that much better, but enough to have the edge here.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

For me, VIP Black has a fairly light to moderate sillage on my skin. I’m not sure, if it’s just me or what, because others have said it’s a strong fragrance. To me, it didn’t come close to the original 212 VIP.

1 Million has a great ability to project itself. Seriously, the sillage here is absolutely huge. So, whatever the actual story with VIP Black is, it would still fall short of the Paco Rabanne.  Update: 1 Million isn’t as strong as it once was, but still superior to its competitor. 

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

With VIP Black, I could only muster 5-6 hours of wear, and most of that it had fairly weak sillage. The first 2 hours or so, it has a nice and full performance, but it drops of rather precipitously. 

On the other end of things, 1 Million just seems to thrive, on my skin. I can get 12 hours of wear, from the formulations that I’ve had in the past. So, unless they’ve tampered with new batches and made them weaker, this stuff is a star performer. Update: Yeah, it’s like 8 or 9 now.

Edge: 1 Million

 

 

Versatility

Both of these are pretty limited colognes and are designed specifically for nightlife wear. They both are great in cold weather, but not when it gets too warm. Neither is very casual or an office safe type of scent. They pretty much fit the same bill.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I really wanted to love 212 VIP Black, as I have a full bottle of 212 VIP, which can be great on the right evening. If it could have been another monster performer, with a different take on the booze soaked cologne genre, I would have been quite happy.

It just doesn’t perform up to the standards, that I want from a nightlife fragrance. Nor does it smell as good, as 212 VIP.  VIP Black has that nice boozy opening and then settles into something that is sweet with a bit of musk.

Vanilla, amber, and musk are pretty much the dry down and the absinthe and spice is hardly noticeable.

1 Million just smells and performs, at higher level than 212 VIP Black. I love the depth and development of this scent. Super sweet, leather, spice, and fruity juiciness. A bold performer, that has been a staple in the nightlife for the past decade plus. 

Winner: 1 Million

Ultra Male vs Le Male Terrible Cologne Comparison

by

or this entry of my head to head cologne comparisons, I’m going to take a closer look at two Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male flankers: Ultra Male vs. Le Male Terrible. Which one of these colognes smells the best? These are two different takes on the highly popular original Le Male cologne, but is there a clear cut winner between them? Please continue below for my full take after wearing both of these scents.

Tale of the Tape: Le Male Terrible vs Ultra Male

Ultra Male

Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original Review: Ultra Male

Le Male Terrible

Notes include: vanilla, grapefruit, amber, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Terrible Eau De Toilette Extreme Spray, 2.5 Ounce

Read my original Review: Le Male Terrible

Opening

Ultra Male opens up with a candy-like sweetness led by the pear, cinnamon, vanilla, and mint notes. It’s sweet with a spicy profile and a noticeable intensity. It is warm and smooth and doesn’t have the same sort of powdered scent that the original Le Male does.

Meanwhile, Le Male Terrible opens up with a similar vibe to the original with vanilla and lavender notes. It doesn’t have that same minty scent and instead opts for using pink pepper and grapefruit. This makes Terrible brighter, warmer, and smoother than the original.

Between the two? While I do like the smooth warmth of Terrible and think that it is definitely a nice start, I prefer Ultra Male’s brash sweetness and intensity. It stands apart from the other colognes in this series and is just much more interesting.

Edge: Ultra Male

Projection

This isn’t even a contest. The sillage of Ultra Male is loud and bold, while Terrible is a more moderate type of fragrance. Terrible isn’t a weak scent, it just doesn’t come close to projecting as well as Ultra Male does.

Edge: Ultra

Longevity

With Ultra Male I routinely get 8+ hours of wear. It usually is around 8-9, but longer in some situations. Le Male Terrible gets me about 6-7 hours, with its moderate intensity, and I’ll catch whiffs of it during that time frame, but not after.

Edge: Ultra

Versatility

This is the category in which Terrible has an advantage. While both are more suited for colder weather, Terrible can venture into the warmer months of the year also. It’s still not great for the height of summer but it works every other time.

Next, Ultra Male is a late night, party, romantic wear scent. It doesn’t always fit in during low key casual or office type scenarios. Terrible fits in much better, since has a subtle scent.

Edge: Terrible

Overall Scent

I’ve tried out so many of the Le Male variations and I do think that Le Male Terrible is one of the better ones. It’s neck and neck really, with the original, in my mind. Perhaps not better, but it is a serious debate. However, when posted up versus Ultra Male, it doesn’t compete very well.

Ultra Male is the best JPG fragrance, to me. That’s why I have a giant bottle of it. I don’t wear Ultra Male everyday, but it is one of my winter go to scents for evening wear. Terrible is quite fresh and a nice take off of the original, with pink pepper and grapefruit, giving it an alternative dimension.

Terrible is decent as an everyday wear and would be a better choice for someone who doesn’t want a bold sweet/spicy cologne like Ultra Male. For everyone else, Ultra Male is the way to go. It’s just better all around and is distinct from the rest of the Le Male line.

Winner: Ultra Male

Nautica Voyage vs Versace Eros Comparison

by

Alright, in this cologne comparison post, it’s going to be a bit of an odd one between Eros versus Nautica Voyage. This seems odd to me because the Versace and the Nautica colognes are almost completely different, occupy different price ranges, and seem to serve different purposes. Whatever. There are those of you out there wanting to know the differences between these two scents, which one smells better, performs better, and is the better buy between them.

Tale of the Tape: Eros vs. Voyage

Versace Eros

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver, Italian lemon

Click here to try: Versace Eros Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 6.7 Fluid Ounce

My original Versace Eros Review

Nautica Voyage

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, green leaf, amber, mimosa

Read my original review here

Try Nautica Voyage: Nautica Voyage By Nautica For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

Opening

Versace Eros comes right out of the gate as a powerhouse gourmand fragrance. It creates a sweet, warm, and smooth cloud of cologne around the wearer. There is a crisp apple note but it really comes across as sort of a chocolate-like scent at times.

Update: With newer bottles, I get a lot more of the lemon note up front. It was always there, but it seems stronger now.

Nautica Voyage is a really bright and summery cologne. It’s apple note, never really struck me as being apple. I guess it gets overwhelmed by mimosa and musk, as it truly smells more like orange to my nose.

Just on sheer pleasantry and as a more interesting opening, I’m going to have to give the nod to Eros.

Edge: Eros

Projection

Haha, this category isn’t even close. Nautica Voyage has light to moderate sillage and Eros is an absolute monster. Eros is quite heavy and as I mentioned, envelops you when you wear it.

Edge: Eros

Longevity

As an inexpensive fragrance, Voyage has always exceeded its price tag for me, in terms of performance. I can usually get 7 good hours of wear from it.

Again, though, Eros is just better in this regard. With this Versace scent, I can get double digit hours.

Update: With newer Eros bottles, I get like 8 or 9 hours. Still better than Voyage.

Edge: Eros

Versatility

Ok, while Voyage is much more of a summery scent, it can be worn year round. It may not have a winter ‘feel’ to it, but it will hold up in the climate. Eros is pretty much a cold weather warrior. It’s too much for the high heat and humidity.

So, is Voyage a winner in terms of versatility? Not quite.

Voyage is a casual scent. It’s not sexy and not a club beast and not really a work cologne (but wouldn’t be entirely out of place).

Eros can work casually, romantically, or in the club/bar scene. It’s probably too powerful for office wear.

Both also strike me as more youthful fragrances.

Ultimately, I think Eros has more uses, and I would definitely reach for it on more occasions than Voyage.

Edge: Eros

Overall Scent

So, this is a clean sweep for Versace Eros. I think it has the upper hand in every category versus Voyage. I like the smell better and even though it can be loud at times, Eros is more interesting.

That’s not to say that I dislike Voyage. It does smell nice. It is a very good choice for guys who need something for under $20. I mean, go check out all the reviews on Amazon, it’s a constant best seller.

It’s just that this is a weird comparison to do between two dissimilar fragrances. If I had to choose, I’d pick Eros to buy before Voyage, but I wouldn’t ever think to need to pick one versus the other.

Winner: Eros