Fragrances

5 Best Smelling Joop! Colognes for Men

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Joop! isn’t a high end fragrance designer and honestly can be pretty synthetic smelling in lots of their scents. That doesn’t mean that they don’t produce some good under the radar fragrances for guys, though.

Joop! actually has some very solid buys at an extremely attractive price point (usually under $25), which can be an absolute steal for men who want something different but don’t want to break the bank in the process.

In this post, I want to present five options from this designer that are the best that they have produced.

What are the Best Smelling Joop! Fragrances for Men?

Note: Joop! has apparently been somewhat busy with new releases over the last five years. Flankers of Joop Homme have come out and sound really nice, in the abstracts that I’ve read. However, they also seem to have only been released in Europe or other select markets. As such, I’ve yet to try them (as of this update).

The 80s Joop

Joop Pour Homme Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Fluid Ounce– The original namesake fragrance, that is still a best seller among inexpensive colognes, decades after its release.

It opens up like an absolute bomb. Cinnamon and patchouli guide the way, with only touches of the citrus top notes. Thick with a syrupy sweetness, that will be present throughout, and gain more of a foothold in the middle to late stages.

Spicy, floral, and powdery with a sweetness provided by the honey note. This pink/purplish juice can be loved or hated but I fall on the side of generally being a fan. My Joop! Homme Review

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Clean Nights

Joop Nightflight By Joop For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.– Nightflight is a departure from the spiciness of Joop! Homme, it is highlighted by a pineapple note with a clean/soapy vibe provided by the lavender.

A moderate scent with good longevity, Nightflight came out in the early 1990s and had a long run as a daily wear sort of cheapie.

Almond, sandalwood, and rosewood come through in the middle and tail end to create a unique and memorable fragrance.

Update: This has been discontinued it seems. Prices are now pretty absurd online. Worth it, only if it’s like $40 or less.

Wow!

Joop Wow! for Men– Released in 2017, Wow isn’t exactly new anymore. But, it is one of the newer scents that you can fairly easily find around the world. There is also an Intense and Fresh version, that I would like to try (if I can ever find them). Intense sounds great, based on the notes.

This one is a great blend of spice and woods. Plus, there’s a creaminess courtesy of the vanilla, cashmere, and even that spiced cardamom top. Has a warmer quality to it, yet remains fresh thanks to those woody touches.

The violet leaf, is usually one note that I stay away from, but I didn’t find it to be intrusive in Wow!

It’s not as cheap (in the US), as some of the others on the list can be. But, this is a very nice cologne which flies under the radar of grabbing mass attention…from the buying public, it gets attention from its scent.

Joop! Go By Joop! For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4-Ounce– Probably my least favorite of the bunch, but that’s because I don’t really care for bitter orange as a note.

However, it is still pretty nice and has a sweet juicy/fruity type of aroma up top with that orange and some rhubarb.

Later, fir, violet, and geranium help to change things up. It feels more like a clean and green kind of aroma. Fresh. Been a long time, since I’ve come across this one, personally. Though, it still seems to be around for a pretty affordable price.

Wild Times

Joop Wild Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce– Wild is such an odd duck to me. I like it, but with notes such as rum and tobacco, you’d expect something dark and heavy.

Wild, however, is sweet and a loud nightlife kind of fragrance with a definite boozy smell. The rum and tobacco notes are of the sweeter variety and it is mixed with pink pepper.

That pink pepper opens up with a bang. But, Wild does settle into something more moderate, an hour or two in. Spicy, boozy, woody, and tobacco. Comes together rather unique.

Interesting to say the least and worth a look for the price. It’s really become a very popular scent from this brand, but probably still behind Joop! Homme in terms of sales.

Shelter Island by Bond No. 9

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Shelter Island is one of the summer fragrance entries from Bond No. 9 New York. One, which goes more into the aquatic camp, with its use of seaweed. It was released in 2014.

I bought a sample of this a while ago, for testing and to see how I actually got along with a that marine note, that I generally dislike. How does Shelter Island smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Shelter Island by Bond No. 9 Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, black pepper, seaweed, lily, oud, musk, sandalwood, amber, myrrh

Click here to try: Shelter Island

shelter bond review

My Full Review

Here’s how Bond describes it: quietly daring, sparkling-clean, unisex, rife with nonchalant beach-time exotica.

Shelter Island opens fresh and bright with a spiciness via the black pepper. The lemon is a light spritzing on top of the marine accord that features seaweed.

The aquatic aspect isn’t overpowering here. Sure, it’s dominant, but balanced out by its surrounding notes. I’m glad I didn’t get a massive seaweed note, that makes you smell like some sort of marine life.

The lily will come in with its waxy aroma, which pairs with the emergence of the resinous myrrh and amber notes in the base. These three, really seem to keep the seaweed in check, and don’t allow this to be just a salty oceanic fragrance.

The lemon and black pepper basically fade completely. This is an aquatic and beachy oud-floral in the middle. Starting to get musky and taking on a bit of a sun tan lotion scent. At this point, it’s more like sitting by the shore than being in the water itself.

That will continue, as this becomes woodier and muskier in the dry down.

Still somewhat aquatic, with a mix of the woodsy notes, a musky aroma, and that amber and myrrh still a bit detectable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This Bond fragrance opens up with plenty of initial punch. It’ll leave a slight scent trail and project well enough off of the skin. It’s definitely above average in the first hour or so.

Thereafter, Shelter will be much more moderate, before lightening up in the back half of the wear.

While it isn’t a massively projecting nor heavy sitting fragrance, Shelter Island does a good job at sticking around. On my skin, I can still detect it up to about 9 hours. Which is plenty for what most people are going to use this scent for.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer wear. Mainly, for the warmest days. A good change of pace from the pure citrus perfumes which usually inhabit those months. A solid marine and wood aquatic for something different.

This is a unisex fragrance, maybe leaning slightly masculine, in the early stages. But, that will balance out, as you move further into the wear.

It’s a niche and fairly casual fragrance for daytime wear. Shelter Island isn’t going to be one that you’re very likely to wear for dates, nightlife, or formal occasions. For those outdoor summer events, it can be a fine choice.

Overall Impressions of Shelter Island

Overall, do I like Shelter Island? It’s pretty good. I never thought that I’d be the target audience for this Bond No. 9, once I saw the seaweed and oud notes together.

However, I was sort of surprised that I wasn’t indifferent towards Shelter Island, and that it had its enjoyable moments for me.

The seaweed, really came through here. It’s front and center, but doesn’t overpower everything else. Very fresh and marine done right, where so many other scents with this note have fallen flat.

The longevity is also great, especially for a summertime scent. Sure, it’s not a massive beast of a fragrance, but this one doesn’t quit early on you either.

The downside? Well, the price for the largest bottle, is currently $300 as of writing. As such, Shelter Island probably isn’t a perfume that most are going to want to buy on a whim.

If you want a beachy aquatic with sun tan lotion vibes, this Bond does a good job at hitting the mark. Find a way to get a sample of this stuff, if that sounds like something you’re after.

Sauvage Elixir vs. Spicebomb Extreme

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Two fragrances which have become massively popular for the colder months are Spicebomb Extreme and Sauvage Elixir. Both the Dior and Viktor & Rolf colognes are flankers to their super successful original namesakes.

The question is, which of these scents is better? Which lasts longer? Which cologne should you buy?

Tale of the Tape: Spicebomb Extreme vs. Sauvage Elixir

Sauvage Elixir

Notes include: grapefruit, wood, lavender, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, patchouli, vetiver

Click here to try: Sauvage Elixir at Macy’s

Read my review: Sauvage Elixir

Spicebomb Extreme

Notes include: tobacco, cumin, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla, bourbon

Click here to try: Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme Eau De Parfum Spray 50ml/1.7oz

Read my Full Review: Spicebomb Extreme

spicebomb extreme edp

Opening

The spice in Spicebomb Extreme is actually kind of toned down versus what you get with the original. Yes, cumin and cinnamon are still players here, just not massive with it.

Instead, the early stages are really going to be dominated by vanilla, tobacco, and lavender notes. Smooth and warm, led by the tobacco, with a further freshness supplied by saffron peaking up through the middle.

With Sauvage Elixir, you get a lot of spice. In the Dior it’s: cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In the top, there is a lighter grapefruit versus the EDT version’s heavier use of citrus.

The next phase will have more of the lavender and some sweetness from licorice and amber. Sauvage Elixir is spicy, woody, with enough sweetness to change it up. Lots going on in the mix.

Which is better? It’s a tight race between them. Though, I think that I slightly prefer the opening of Spicebomb Extreme versus the loud spicy affair that is Elixir.

Edge: Spicebomb Extreme

Projection

Spicebomb Extreme starts out strong, maintains its level for a long time, but spends much of the rest of the wear at something that could be considered moderate.

Elixir, starts off stronger. It also stays very powerful for a longer time, and pretty easily takes this category against a Spicebomb fragrance that is no slouch itself.

Edge: Elixir

Longevity

Both of these colognes have been utterly awesome for me, with their performance.

Spicebomb Extreme goes at least 10 hours and can go as high as 12-13, depending on the climate of the day, etc.

Elixir routinely hit 12 hours for me. I’m not sure where it drops off at, as I will shower in that time frame, but it’s more than enough for anyone.

So, while both do have a long lasting duration of wear, Sauvage Elixir can take it a bit further.

Edge: Elixir

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are mainly for autumn and winter. I would avoid both during the hottest summer months, especially.

Also, I’d much prefer to wear both in casual or nightlife scenarios, versus the office. They are more mature as flankers than each of their original predecessors. Though, neither is really all that formal.

Well put together, yes. But, not tuxedo level formality.

I don’t really see much distance between them here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two colognes do I think is better? I really enjoy both of these, so, it’s not easy to have to choose between them.

With Elixir, you get a significantly altered version of the Sauvage formula. A focus on some different spices and the inclusion of a great licorice note, which somehow doesn’t get massively annoying with that unique aroma.

There are plenty of colognes similar to Sauvage EDT, but Elixir really sets itself apart, while remaining somewhat true to the idea of the series.

The performance is awesome. One of the best mainstream designer fragrances out there right now, in terms of its sillage and how long it stays around.

To me, though, I’d rather have Spicebomb Extreme. You take a bit of a step back with the performance, while still being excellent. The fragrance itself, smells better to me versus the Sauvage.

The vanilla and tobacco are awesome together. I like the spices, they are softer, but the round things out. Plus, the saffron helps to keep it from getting boring.

Not a huge margin between them, Extreme smells better and has long been a cold weather gem.

Winner: Spicebomb Extreme

8 Best Smelling Carolina Herrera Colognes for Men

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Carolina Herrera makes some fantastic scents for both men and women. While these fragrances are pretty popular, the men’s scents haven’t been overused and too common like something such as Acqua Di Gio or 1 Million.

Herrera has a whole line of colognes which are both unique and smell really good. Plus, they aren’t terribly expensive, probably in the upper moderate price range.

For this list, I have selected 8 scents which I feel are the best of the lot. I have update the list, to expand upon things a bit, and to revamp this page. I will add any additional scents from this designer that I find, as I see fit.

Favorite Carolina Herrera Fragrances for Men

Best Overall Herrera Perfume for Him

Carolina Herrera CH Eau De Toilette Spray – 100ml/3.4oz,(Packaging may vary)– This might be the best of the bunch, depending on one’s tastes. It features notes of grapefruit, bergamot, nutmeg, jasmine, violet, leather, and amber.

It is a sweet sugary scent with a leather note and vanilla, which gives it an extra smoothness. The dry down is very nice. It can be a bit too strong for my nose, at the start, but it settles down quite well.

The sugary element dissipates somewhat and CH Men becomes more dominated by the leather, woods, and light spices.

Again, the sugar is my least favorite part of CH Men, but even that isn’t ever a completely unpleasant experience. When it hits the right blended amount with the leather, it becomes fantastic.

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To the Extreme

Bad Boy Extreme– This edition is now my favorite of the Bad Boy line. EDT and Cobalt are next and basically neck and neck for me.

Bad Boy Extreme starts off with a blast of ginger and cacao. You will get the similarities from others in the series, but this one just does everything better.

Sage and plum are underneath those two lead notes in the opening act. Not too massive but a nice touch.

It becomes sweeter with tonka bean and the cacao in the dry down. However, you will still have woody and fresher notes like vetiver, sage, patchouli, and ginger throughout.

Also, the performance is much better than you get with EDT. As of now, this is the Bad Boy cologne to buy.

Top Nightlife Pick

212 Vip by Carolina Herrera Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– I’ve had to update the list to include this gem. 212 VIP is a fantastic cologne for the colder months of the year, especially the nightlife.

It’s got notes of vodka, amber, lime caviar, mint, pepper, and ginger among others.

This one isn’t for everyone and has a limited use, basically just nights out, but is a monster in terms of sillage and length of performance. It opens with that smooth vodka and tonka bean, paired with the spice of black pepper.

From there, 212 VIP, you get sweet vanilla, amber, the tonka bean, and ginger (which lightens the spice provided by pepper). There is also a dash of lime, apple, and mint which aids the feeling of it being a boozy mixed drink.

This one is quite alcoholic in its presentation, again not everyone will dig it, but is a really great example of that type of scent. I love wearing this, on the right evening. Read my full review.

212 VIP Herrera

Most Under the Radar

Chic By Carolina Herrera For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– A sweet fragrance which is highlighted by lemon and melon notes (at the top), as well as, cinnamon which gives it a bit more body. Chic is a beautiful cologne that isn’t too heavy but it quite seductive.

After its initial citrus and melon combo, the warmer notes begin to take over. The cinnamon is paired with black pepper, which is joined by amber, tonka bean, cardamom, and sandalwood.

The final stages are about the watermelon, warm spice, and the fresh woody base. This is still an underrated fragrance.

Chic isn’t too complicated, but does give a you a rather unique and versatile experience. It can be worn in summer or winter. Though, I’d say it’s better in warmer climates.

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Most Popular Cologne

212 By Carolina Herrera For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– A fresh and borderline unisex fragrance with notes of mandarin, grapefruit, woods, and sandalwood. The greener notes in here really shine and it has a bit of spice to it, up front.

Later, it becomes spicier with a greenish herbal quality, and the citrus top notes act as a counterbalance. Good in warm weather. 212 is still fresh with elements of sweetness, coming in and out, of the composition.

The grapefruit is really well done here and much more enjoyable than in other similar colognes.

This has undergone reformulations, so, I’m unsure of how the current bottles perform. It at least, used to be pretty good, in that regard. My 212 Full Review

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Classic Style Fragrance

CAROLINA HERRERA Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 6.75 Ounce– The namesake of the fragrance line, Herrera is a blend of tobacco, citrus, amber, and musk notes. The tobacco gives it a warm masculine scent which is highlighted by a spicy undertone.

This is a long lasting and well-projecting cologne for guys who like something that is refined and manly. The tobacco doesn’t seem as green and uncured as in something like Versace Dreamer.

Yet, you do get a good blend of the semi-sweet tobacco, with herbal spice, and some nice citrus touches.

Note: I am referring to the original formulation, this is another one, I’ll have to revisit. I hear, it is quite different now.

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Great for Cold Weather

212 Sexy by Carolina Herrera For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4-Ounces– A smooth and seductive scent from Carolina Herrera. 212 Sexy is a cologne that has a fantastic vanilla note that is fresh and sweet and somewhat similar to Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier.

However, it is woodier than, the JPG fragrance and not as sweet. It’s a softer cologne, with a nice powdered sandalwood dry down, which sits underneath that vanilla lead. Very easy to wear and attractive.

There is also less of a lavender influence in this one, with a great use of other floral notes. Not as much of a powdery cologne, but 212 Sexy is a great example of a very wearable and appealing vanilla scent.  Awesome sweetness.

212s

The First Bad Boy

Carolina Herrera Bad Boy EDT Eau de Toilette 3.4oz / 100ml For Men, Black– It’s actually a close call between the original Bad Boy and the newer Le Parfum, as to which is the better scent.

Update: Add Cobalt to the mix. For me, they’re almost interchangeable, but I think that I still prefer the original versus the newer flankers.

Le Parfum is interesting and has a better performance, but I like what the original has to offer. It can be sweet and somewhat creamy, while also coming across at times like a peppery honeycomb.

The cocoa and tonka bean notes, really lend to the warm and sexy sweetness of this fragrance. Bad Boy has a solid performance and lasts for 7 hours, on my skin. Bad Boy Review

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