Fragrances

Best Smelling Colognes for Under $10: Bargain Fragrances for Men

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Alright, for this post I wanted to go to the absolute bottom of the market in terms of price, to see what I could come up with that is a bargain. Of course, you can usually find mini bottles of designer fragrances for under $10, but I thought I’d go for full bottles in that price range (1.7 oz or thereabouts). Now, I want to state that I have found each selection online for available for ten dollars as of writing, some places may be selling them for as high as $15 but the point still stands…this is as cheap as you’re going to get. It’s really hard to get quality at this price range but I have managed to find some. If you’re willing to go up-range a bit, also check out: Best Smelling Colognes Under $30 (which includes some $10-20 entries)

 

Cuba Gold by Cuba, 3.30 Ounce– Lots of similarities between this and the more expensive Le Male by JPG. Sweet with a heavy dose of powdery aroma. What’s even more surprising about this cheapy fragrance, is that it actually has solid performance. Cuba Gold won’t quit within a few hours and can usually make it through a full work or school day. Not insane performance by any means but for $10? A steal. Cuba has a few other fragrances that are also nice and at the same cost, this is a good brand to check out at rock bottom prices.

 

Playboy New York Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Playboy actually has an array of scents available for under $10 and in fact, most of them can be had for $5 currently. New York is one of the best of the bunch. A very fresh and sweet scent that feels like a designer fragrance clone…a vaguely familiar mix of several scents. The performance is okay when compared to most colognes but for the insanely low price, Playboy New York is an absolute winner. Playboy New York Review

 

GUESS Factory Men’s GUESS Man, 2.5 oz– So, this one might fall in the $12-14 range in most places but I’ve seen it for the $10 mark before. This has a nice woodsy spice to it, is quite masculine, and has decent performance. Not my favorite Guess cologne (that’d be Seductive Homme) but is one of their best and is usually the cheapest.

 

Adidas Deep Energy Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– A sporty, energetic and clean fragrance for men. Usually runs about $6-7 and smells nice enough and performs fairly well. What’s interesting is that D&G came out with The One Sport and it smells almost exactly like this but way more expensive and the longevity was worse than the cheap Adidas cologne.


Playboy London Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Another Playboy entry. A boozy, sweet, yet slightly spicy fragrance with notes including cognac. Quite fresh and the longevity is good enough for what it is. Playboy London Full Review

 

Aspen by Coty for Men, 4 ounce Cologne Spray– An even cheaper version of Cool Water by Davidoff.  Fresh, woody, with a hint of citrus. Has really good longevity for the price.

 

Yacht Man Blue By Puig Eau-de-toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– A citrus aquatic that has an aroma similar to many others but is available for really cheap. The longevity on this stuff isn’t good at all, so you’ll need to spray more than you usually would to make it last. However, it’s so inexpensive that it really doesn’t matter if you use more, as it’s not a waste.

 

 

CH Men Prive by Carolina Herrera

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Carolina Herrera is low key one of the best fragrance design houses out there, in my opinion. The 212 scents, such as 212 VIP and 212, are fantastic and distinct in their own ways.

With so many positive experiences I’ve had trying out this designer’s line of fragrances, I always look forward to picking a new scent and giving it a wear.

This time around it’s, CH Men Prive, which I gave a one time wear while at yet another duty free shop over in Europe.  I want to use this post to give my impressions of Prive and explore exactly what kind of fragrance it is.

CH Men Prive Overview

Notes include: lavender, cardamom, sage, leather, whiskey, grapefruit, tonka bean, benzoin

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Prive Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Immediately, CH Men Prive, has me hooked by its scent. Leathery, boozy, tonka bean laden scents are among my favorite and Prive is right in that lane.

212 VIP also by Carolina Herrera, uses vodka as its alcohol of choice for an upbeat/club type of vibe, while Prive chooses whiskey with leather to create something darker and more mature.

Prive is sort of like a cousin of Bvlgari’s Man in Black (which I wore heavily this past winter and even last Saturday night), as they share the leather, tonka, and benzoin notes but Man in Black uses rum as its booze note.

I’d say that Man in Black is the spicier of the two, while Prive has that smooth/neat feel to it.

The leather is rich and warm and is paired very well with the whiskey note. However, it doesn’t seem to stray too far into the hyper-masculine arena, as Prive has a nice touch of sweetness to it. It’s not really a fruity sweetness or candy-like, more like a refined sugar.

To me the benzoin note brings to mind, Kouros Body by YSL. The whiskey note isn’t overpowering and in fact starts to take a backseat after the initial opening.

The vodka in 212 VIP and the rum in Man in Black are both much more prevalent than this whiskey of Prive.

I don’t know what the ‘wood’ note is in this cologne but I do detect one in the scent. I’d have to spend more time with it but it was a pleasant surprise.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off pretty big but then ends up being fairly moderate. It’s not huge and overwhelming but you’ll know it’s there.

The longevity is also pretty good, I got maybe 6-7 hours, when I wore it. Maybe it was the conditions, but it didn’t strike me as a powerhouse scent.

I could definitely wear this casually but like Man in Black, I would use it more for nightlife or for going out on dates.

It’s a fall/winter scent but as long as it’s not too hot at night, it should hold up well in the evenings. CH Men Prive is dark and sensual and should attract plenty of attention.

Overall Impressions of CH Men Prive

Overall, is CH Men Prive worth a buy? To me, yes. I hardly need another cold weather favorite, as I have so many options but Prive is really damn good.

I don’t know if there’s a Carolina Herrera cologne that I hate and if there is it sure isn’t Prive.

If you like well balanced, masculine scents, full of leathery goodness, then you’d do well to check this one out.

I Love NY for Fathers by Bond No. 9

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Today’s review is going to be another one from Bond No. 9. Specifically, from its I Love NY line of scents that they came out with 5 or so years back. This review will be of the men’s fragrance, I Love NY for Fathers.

As usual, I will cover what notes it has, how it smells, how long it lasts, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase or not.

I Love New York for Father’s Overview

Notes include: musk, lime, lavender, amber, basil, and sage

Click here to try: BOND NO 9 Cologne, I Love Ny Father’s Day, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of I Love NY for Fathers is like an animalistic soapy kind of scent. The musk note and lavender seem to be the stars at the beginning with a subtle citrus scent provided by the lime plays the background.

Now, the lime not in this isn’t a really intense lime like that found in Set Sail St. Barts, for example. In fact, I don’t even think I would have been able to identify it as an ingredient if I hadn’t looked up what this cologne consisted of.

A few minutes in, I begin to catch a much more herbal aroma from basil and sage, that is quite mellow and subdued. It is fresh and clean but really not all that attention grabbing or unique for that matter.

I feel like it’s similar to hopping out of the shower having used a bar of soap that is available at any local grocery store and not something that would set you back over a hundred bucks per bottle.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is fairly good. New York for Fathers isn’t an intense cologne and eventually develops into a skin scent but I found it pretty noticeable for the most part.

I’d say that the longevity is somewhere in the 5-7 hour range, especially when I wore it indoors. Not great but not terrible either.

A very casual scent that will perform best in the warmer months of the year. It reminds me of a spring day and it’s whole tone would fit well within that framework. This is not a sexy or romantic wear type of scent.

Overall Impressions

Overall, would I recommend I Love NY for Fathers? Not really. It’s not awful but it’s nothing special either. For the price, it’s not a good deal at all.

There are plenty of colognes or bath soaps out there which could produce the same effect for a fraction of the cost.

I really don’t see the point of owning this, unless you collect these scents or this is just an exact reflection of your personal style. No real personal appeal for me.

Best Smelling Colognes to Get Your Boyfriend or Husband

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When buying cologne as a gift for someone, it is important to factor in their lifestyle, the climate of the area they live in, and even their personal style so far as you can tell it. Consider you boyfriend or husband’s needs. Does he need something that can be worn to work? Or will you go with something that is more towards the sexy/romantic night on the town sort of fragrance? In this post, I want to give a list of cologne options that not only smell good but fit in a wide range of categories. I have not accounted at all for a budget but I will link below, other posts that I have done for scents within certain price ranges, that way you can have even more options.

Also see: Best Colognes Under $30 Part 1, Part 2, and Best Scents $30-50

 

Armani Code Profumo–  A flanker fragrance to the original Armani Code. To me, this one surpasses the original (which is also great, btw). Profumo is so utterly smooth, sexy, warm, and simply beautiful. Has easily become one of my favorites. My Full Code Profumo Review

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Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce

Fresh and masucline with a bit of a powdery kind of spice to it. This one has been wildly popular since its release and for good reason. La Nuit as the name suggests is great for nighttime wear but also has the versatility and longevity to wear to work. La Nuit Review

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Burbérry London 3.3 oz for Men Eau de Toilette

Burberry London is a casual yet refined fragrance that blends notes of tobacco, cinnamon, leather, and pepper among others. It works very well in the colder months of the year and spicy/woodsy profile that is quite delightful. My Full Burberry London Review

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Polo Black by Ralph Lauren for Men – 4.2 Ounce EDT Spray

Black is one of those casual scents that does everything really well. It has an interesting mango note that isn’t too much on the sweet side and is bolstered by woodsy notes. Polo Black is also kind of a year round fragrance, as it seems to work in almost any weather condition while also smelling wonderful. Polo Black Review



Carolina Herrera Ch Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

This is a beautiful fragrance by Carolina Herrera. It features notes of grapefruit, bergamot, nutmeg, jasmine, violet, leather, and amber. It is a sweetly sugary aroma with  vanilla and leather, which gives it  a rich and warm smoothness. The dry down is quite lovely.

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L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Ounces
This great scent is quite sexy, refined, and unique in many ways. Notes of bergamot, lemon, pepper, and many others weave together a layered aromatic experience that is one of a kind.  Top Guerlain Scents

l'instant guerlain

 

Thierry Mugler Eau de Toilette Spray, Angel Men Pure Havane, 3.4 Ounce

Pure Havane is a sweet blend of tobacco, honey, patchouli, and bitter cocoa. It is a very warm and manly scent that screams to be used on a winter’s day. Angel Men Pure Havane Review

A*Men Pure Havane

 

Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

An upscale blend of citrus notes and woods which uses the finest ingredients. Aventus is wildly popular and can be worn on a multitude of occasions and fit in perfectly. In my opinion, it’s at its best in the spring and summer. Creed Aventus Review

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212 Vip by Carolina Herrera Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

A bold fragrance that has the smoothness of an alcoholic drink (vodka is a note in VIP) and a subtle spice that really brings things together. I love wearing this stuff. Great for the nightlife and actually isn’t bad for everyday wear when done lightly. 212 VIP Review

212 VIP Herrera

 

There you have it. While this is by no means a complete list of all possible great buys, you should be able to find a great gift from it or through one of the links to my other lists. Also, be sure to check out the individual reviews of scents to get further detail and select one that is in the right ballpark for your husband or boyfriend.

 

Best Smelling Men’s Colognes Under $50

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All right, so I’ve already done two installments of the best smelling fragrances for guys under $30. As such, I thought that I’d step it up to the next level of expensiveness, while still being affordable.

So, in this post I’m going to focus on men’s colognes for under $50 BUT instead of rehashing the same cheap offerings, it’s going to be scents above 30 but below the 50 dollar cutoff.

This range opens a whole new list of possible daily wear scents and one’s that are a bit more complex than the average cheapy cologne. I’m going to base this list off of the current Amazon prices, so, these scents may be more expensive elsewhere.

Top Fragrances Under 50 Bucks for Men

L’homme Yves Saint Laurent By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3-Ounces
Ginger is the big star of the Yves Saint Laurent fragrance. However, the tonka bean in the heart of the fragrance provides a smooth sweetness and helps to make this one a special fragrance that garners compliments.  L’Homme Review

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Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 Oz.
Very attractive scent that works well for going out for a night on the town. Has enjoyed mega popularity for a number of years. My review

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Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Tonka bean is one of the multitude of notes which makes Versace Eros tick along with mint, apple, and vanilla. It is extremely rich, complex, warm, and powerful. Great for the colder months. Eros Full Review

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Hugo Boss Men’s Boss No. 6 Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 3.3 fl. oz.

A sweet and pleasant fragrance for casual wear with notes of apple and vanilla. Moderate longevity but a solid experience at this price point. My Boss No. 6 review

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Ounces

One of the best smelling colognes out of the house of Guerlain. This is a great buy for the price.

l'instant guerlain

Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce

I’m going to use Polo Blue as a stand in here to represent many Polo colognes that are available for under $50. It really depends what kind of scent you enjoy and Ralph Lauren probably makes something enjoyable in that style. Blue is a nice aquatic. Read my Review

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Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Acqua Di Gio is always a best seller. Smooth, masculine, citrus, refreshing. It gets worn a lot but for good reason. Read my full review

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Versace Man Eau Fraiche By Gianni Versace For Men Edt Spray 3.4 Oz

Another Versace scent. Eau Fraiche shines in the summertime, with it’s frozen citrus scent, that projects well and lasts for a long time. Read my Eau Fraiche review

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This is but a mere selection of the great scents available for men for under $50. The selections on the list will, however, fit a wide range of styles. Be sure to check out other options from these designers which will typically cost around the same amount.