Fragrances

7 Best Smelling Ermenegildo Zegna Fragrances

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Ermenegildo Zegna has been a long-time player in the menswear arena and has a whole host of fragrances available in its catalog. It creates both affordable and popular scents for guys but also some specialized niche kind of fragrances as well.

For this post, I’m going to mix it up between the two, and have selected seven colognes that I feel are the best of the bunch. Updating this page, some of these have gotten discontinued, and may be hard to find. I’m keeping them on the list, while adding newer releases too.

What are the Best Zegna Fragrances for Men?

Note: There have been some more releases in the past few years from Zegna. Most of which, weren’t released in the US, and had a limited run in Europe. So, I have yet to try them out.

Most Popular

Zegna Uomo By Ermenegildo Zegna 3.4 Oz/100ml Eau De Toilette Spray– With a very bright and rather sharp citrus opening, Uomo screams to be worn during the warmer months of the year.

However, it simply isn’t just a light aquatic affair, like so many other summer colognes. It does have a watery aspect to it, with the citrus and violet leaf. Though, that is a ‘greener’ kind of scent versus anything oceanic/salty.

Uomo has a masculine woodsy heart that is tempered by the violet note which reveals itself as the hours pass. The dry down period is a fresh woodsy scent, highlighted by the remaining citrus notes.

Can be kind of bold and too fresh for some. But, I think it is worth checking out. Really good performer as well. My full Uomo Review

Summer Citrus

Ermenegildo Zegna Acqua Di Bergamotto By Ermenegildo Zegna Edt Spray 1.7 Oz– Like some of the other scents on the list, Acqua Di Bergamotto, is a citrus based scent.

As per the name, the main player here is bergamot and is assisted by mandarin. The opening act and middle can come across as quite clean and being akin to a high-end bar of lemon soap.

But that’s not all there is to it. There is a nice salty aquatic note that reminds you of a gentle sea breeze, as well as some floral notes that linger slightly.

So, it starts as a fresh and sweeter sort of soap, that will turn into a floral one. The neroli and saltier aspects really combining with that citrus top. My Full Acqua di Bergamotto Review

Warm and Sweet 

Ermenegildo Zegna Intenso Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Familiar to Armani Code, yet, different enough to be it’s own thing. To me, the composition is similar, but they come across quite a bit differently.

Especially, with the heightened cardamom in this one. Intenso is smooth with a solid dark feel that is balanced by a citrus sweet undertone.

Not the best longevity (despite the name), but it can be double sprayed, as it isn’t very expensive. Cardamom, tonka bean, and iris come together to give it a warm, sweet, and slightly powdery quality.

Sharp and Clean

Z Zegna By Ermenegildo Zegna For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4-Ounce Bottle– A very fresh and woodsy scent with herbal spices and bergamot opening. It’s a clean and casual fragrance with decent longevity but a light touch.

Z has a very lovely rosemary note, which gives it a familiar fresh spiciness. The structure of this one is quite similar to others on the market. However, the lightness and watery/semi-aquatic undertones make Z an enjoyable wear.

The opening can feel sharp as it does contain the citrus note, along with rosemary and pepper. However, it balances out nicely while remaining relatively simple.

Awesome Vanilla

Ermenegildo Zegna Essenze Bourbon Vanilla 4.2 Oz Eau De Toilette Spray For Men– A sweet and smooth vanilla with hints of spice provided by a ginger note.

There is a certain herbal quality to Bourbon Vanilla but the tonka bean creaminess and bit of cocoa bean make it a special niche scent. Essenze Bourbon Vanilla, does have somewhat of a lotion-like vibe at times, especially early on.

Though it stays sweet and creamy, the latter stages reveal a nice vetiver and woody base, that gives this fragrance a more substantial feeling. It’s been discontinued, but you can find bottles around still.

Citrus Vetiver

Ermenegildo Zegna – Haitian Vetiver Fragrance – Eau De Toilette – 4.2 FL OZ / 125 ML– One for the vetiver lovers. It’s got that familiar green aroma with a dry slightly smoky wood. It’s low key great, if you can still find a bottle.

Hatian Vetiver has a great earthiness, while also having a very bright citrus top and the persistent undertones of iris coming through. It is an interesting combination, giving this Zegna a bit of a distinction when compared to many other vetiver colognes.

Mandarin Fresh

Essenze Collection Sicilian Mandarin By Ermenegildo Zegna EDT 4.2 Oz Spray.– A really great mandarin note that feels much more like orange peel than the interior of the fruit itself.

Yet, it remains juicy with an addition of bergamot, and an rich woodsy quality provided by the oakmoss. A definite wear for the summertime. Sicilian Mandarin doesn’t have the same level of sharpness versus the other Zegna colognes, which is a nice change of pace.

Also, the mint note here gives it blended freshness and there’s a woodsy sensibility, later on in the wear. This is a different sort of citrus fragrance, not completely abnormal, but it stands apart and is an awesome example of that mandarin orange.

6 Best Smelling Antonio Banderas Colognes

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I haven’t covered a ton of celebrity fragrances on this site, at least not in a while, but I figured that I should give some more attention to these popular scents that are usually in the more affordable range versus the high end designers.

Antonio Banderas has actually established himself over the past 20 years or so in this niche, whereas, many other actors will put out one fragrance…Antonio has released dozens. For this post, I wanted to select six from his line which could be considered his best colognes, that he’s released so far.

What are the Best Smelling Colognes by Antonio Banderas?

A Familiar Scent

Antonio Banderas The Golden Secret for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 6.75 Ounce– There is a distinct similarity between The Golden Secret and 1 Million by Paco Rabanne, beyond the bottles looking closely related, they also share many of the same notes.

The Golden Secret is like a more subdued version of 1 Million, with slight differences that become noticeable, once you have worn both colognes. The apple note really separates the two for me. In the Paco Rabanne, it is more about the orange note. Also, 1 Million has more of a warmth and spice versus this one.

Even though it is toned down, the Golden Secret still has good performance when compared to many others in this line. 5-7 hours of wear, is probably what to expect, and that’s pretty excellent when you dip into the cheaper fragrances.

Clean Green Classic

Antonio Banderas EDT Spray for Men, Mediterraneo, 6.75 Ounce– Not sure if this is still in production or not (it sells on Amazon, at least), but Mediterraneo is a simple, masculine fragrance with citrus aromas combined with a slightly spicy mix of ginger and pepper. Good late spring/summer scent.

The dry down period, loses much of the citrus notes, and it is much more of a woody or green-ish type of cologne (vetiver coming through). Quite a bit different than many of the others on the list.

The fresh spices are really nice in Mediterraneo and pretty much make this scent go. The performance is actually solid, for something in this price range.

An Iconic Freshness

The Icon EDP– Icon EDP is probably the best of the Icon series thus far. It’s a fragrance with a fresh start, that will settle into a smooth amber-suede dry down period, and works well as a daily wear option.

Juniper, cypress, black pepper are going to give you a mix of punchy spice and woods up top. This, along with a grapefruit citrus up top make for a bold introduction.

Yet, we still get to the smoother parts of the wear. Very clean and attractive, with a slight creamy undertone, at times. Calming lavender and suede take over for the more aggressive aromas of The Icon.

This is a very versatile fragrance that really doesn’t feel out of place, saving maybe, the hottest days of the year.

Most Popular

Antonio Banderas Blue Seduction for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 6.75 Ounce An excellent summertime blend of sweet fruit and aquatic notes. It smells vaguely familiar to some other colognes out on the market but still a bit different and at an attractive price point.

A great choice if you enjoy the aquatic/marine type of scent. The melon note here is absolutely great, I think what does make this one distinct from those that it somewhat resembles, is the mint note. Adds a great layer of fresh crispness, on top of the aquatic base.

The opening is a blend of the citrus and melon, but the melon wins out during the rest of the wear. Performance isn’t great, but it can be serviceable. Great smell, though. This is one of the better inexpensive men’s perfumes, as with others on the list. But, this is one I like.

Fruity and Easy to Wear

Antonio Banderas King of Seduction Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Has some similarities with Blue Seduction, Invictus, and a hint of Aventus by Creed. Another summer scent with a vetiver and cedar base to prevent it from going too far into the aquatic category.

The scent itself smells like a batch of fruits, mainly citrus with pineapple. It is quite juicy and attractive. This is one that you will probably have to overspray, as it’s not really a powerhouse, but you can get some decent amount of wear time with it.

Not particularly unique or original, but it can absolutely be a good pick up.

Most Unique/Under the Radar

The Secret Temptation– This is a low key winner in the realm of affordable fragrances for guys. Now, it’s kind of soft in how it projects, but it does have pretty nice longevity and smells really good.

You might have to experiment and double the sprays to give it an extra boost but the pleasing cardamom, vanilla, bergamot, and pink pepper give The Secret Temptation a very solid formula.

This is kind of an interesting scent, as it feels familiar, but I cannot think of anything that smells quite the same. Cardamom and pink pepper give it a wonderful warmth throughout that is only smoothed out by a nice vanilla. Then, there is the base vetiver note, tying it all together.

Cologne Intense by Houbigant

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Drawing nearly to a close with my men’s fragrance reviews from the last order of samples, I come upon my second Houbigant cologne to take a closer look at. Today, it is the simply named, Cologne Intense.

This scent was released in 2015 under the Houbigant name and has a citrus and herbal character. In this review, I want to take a closer look at how it smells, how it performs, when it can be worn, and whether or not I think that it is worth a purchase.

What does Houbigant Cologne Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: petitgrain, bergamot, neroli, lemon, lavender, pink pepper, tarragon, mate tea

Click here to try: Houbigant Cologne Intense Eau de Parfum Spray, 100 ml

My Full Review

The opening of Cologne Intense is like a citrus based soap with a mix of green and herbal aromas. The mate tea not gives it that herbal feeling and kind of levels out the citrus notes and doesn’t allow them to become too acidic.

The petitgrain is pretty strong at first and definitely give this Houbigant cologne, it’s green sort of element.

After a few minutes, the tarragon note starts to emerge as one of the most dominant notes in this fragrance. It adds a bit of spiciness to the scent to go along with the citrus/soapy/herbal feel that has already been established.

The spiciness never feels all that ‘intense’ to me (nor does the cologne in general) and I think it gets tempered a bit by the lavender.

It does have a dryness to its scent, especially in the latter stages. Dry, greenish, spice, with like a post-shower soapy clean scent on skin, versus a rich lather.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I think this is pretty moderate, and not really intense. However, while it’s not a heavy scent, it is noticeable for most of the wear. It’s just going to be limited to that 2-4 foot range, from wherever that you sprayed Cologne Intense.

It does have fairly good longevity in the 6-8 hour range. So, it isn’t a crappy performer and will get the job done.

But, for the high-end price, it is rather disappointing to only get close to a full workday, while still possibly falling short of even that.

It seems more like a casual scent and geared more towards guys 30+ years in age. So, casual up to semi-formal wear in the warmer weather. It’s clean, fresh, with a soapy quality to it.

Cologne Intense isn’t going to be a club beast or even one that you’d probably reach for before going on a date.

Spring and summertime would be best with this Houbigant. Though, it would be pretty good in most of the year, outside of the extremes of the thermometer.

Overall Impressions of Cologne Intense

Overall, is Cologne Intense worth a buy? To me, no. I don’t think that it really smells that great. It seems so much like a hand soap or some sort of cleaner.

I don’t find it enjoyable and don’t think it is as good as Fougere Royale by Houbigant (which was good, but not my style).

Cologne Intense lacks intensity, which I think is a good thing, since I don’t enjoy the fragrance. It’s fresh and clean but has way too much of an herbal spice for me to want to wear it. It doesn’t smell atrocious, just not great either. Meh.

Also, coming back to this fragrance years after the initial review, the price is crazy high. Over $200 a bottle for Houbigant Cologne Intense, which moves this one into a complete ‘no’ for me.

Versace Eros vs Pour Homme Cologne Comparison

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Here is my latest installment of cologne comparisons on this website. Today, we have another battle of Versace scents between, Eros and Versace Pour Homme. I have already reviewed both of these fragrances individually and now will break down each for those trying to decide between these colognes.

I want to give an overview on how each one smells, how it performs, when it can be worn, and which scent is better overall. So, let’s get into Eros vs Versace Pour Homme.

Tale of the Tape: Eros vs. Versace Pour Homme

Versace Eros

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

Read my Eros review

Shop Amazon for: Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Versace Pour Homme

Notes of Pour Homme: bergamot, bitter orange leaves, geranium, sage, oud wood, mineral amber, tonka bean, musk

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Read my Versace Pour Homme Review

Click Here to try: Versace Pour Homme by Versace for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray

Opening

Versace Pour Homme is really intense up front. The bergamot and bitter orange really pack a wallop from the very start. It’s honestly too much for me.

I do think that Pour Homme gets better, thereafter. I’ve just never been a fan of the opening act.

Eros, is also strong out of the gate but it feels much more well done than Pour Homme. Versace does calm down minutes after spraying but it definitely goes hard and it isn’t amazing enough to compensate.

Newer bottles of Eros seem to go harder with the lemon than the original. To me, there used to be a greater use of the tonka bean, vanilla, and mint up top. Still, I prefer Eros over Pour Homme.

Edge: Eros

Projection

After the opening, Pour Homme calms down into something more on the moderate side of things. It still projects itself better than most colognes, though.

Eros is a beast in this regard, I cap myself at two sprays when I wear it because more than that and it just seems overbearing.

Eros has lost a step, over the years, but it still has an edge.

Edge: Eros

Longevity

Again, I’ve always gotten good wear out of Eros, and it usually lasts for a long time (update: now, it’s like 8 hours).  Pour Homme, is good for 6-7 hours, and then fades out.

Versace Pour Homme isn’t as heavy of a scent as Eros, so I would expect it to not live up to it in this department. Although, it does still perform quite well.

Update: Eros doesn’t last as long as it used to, but will still get a few hours more than its competitor.

Edge: Eros

Versatility

Here’s where it gets more competitive. Eros isn’t an office wear in my opinion, in fact, it is best in the colder weather and more geared to romantic wear. Although, it could be still pulled off casually when applied lightly.

Versace Pour Homme, could be worn in lots of situations and works in pretty much every season. It’s a citrus cologne that can totally be worn in spring/summer and still feel right at home in winter.

Edge: Versace Pour Homme

Overall Scent

I really like Eros, as a smooth and complex gourmand type of fragrance. Yes, it is loud and heavy but there is definitely something quite appealing about its rich blend of mint, vanilla, tonka, and green apple.

Versace Pour Homme, is a pretty good citrus based cologne. It feels a lot like Eau Fraiche but I think that one is better. I also like Dreamer from Versace, better than Pour Homme.

Update: I’m changing my decision on this one. Over the years, Eros has been diminished in a lot of ways performance wise. Add to that, the scent itself has changed somewhat, as has my enjoyment.

Heck, even the aforementioned Dreamer is a newer formula.

Factoring in all of that, I’ve also come to like Versace Pour Homme, a bit more than I used to. I used to really love wearing Eros. Now, I can do without. Still, not a massive Pour Homme fan, but I’ll give it the nod here.

Winner: Versace Pour Homme

4 Fragrances that Smell Similar to Polo Blue EDT

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Polo Blue has been a massive hit for the brand over the past decade. That being the case, it is only natural that people start looking for scents that smell similar to this cologne. Either, to find a slightly better take on the composition or to provide a cheaper alternative which can come close to the Polo Blue smell. In this post, I am going to suggest some options which can do just that.

Colognes that Smell like Polo Blue

If we’re talking  fragrances with nearly the same aroma or cheaper options versus buying Polo Blue EDT, I’ve only come across one real alternative, that satisfies this question specifically. Update: I’ve found a few more that closely matches what we want.

The Inspired By Option

Another Blue Dua– The Dua Brand’s Another Blue Dua is your best bet if you want something that tries to match what you get from Polo Blue EDT. It’s inspired by the original vintage formula of Blue.

Eternity Aqua, listed below, is similar but ultimately a different fragrance. So, this is going to take over as the best option for a lot of people.

I haven’t tried Another Blue Dua, as of yet. I have owned 10 or so other inspired fragrances from Dua and they all hit very close to the mark. I can’t imagine that they don’t get Polo Blue correct. Very affordable and in a more concentrated Extrait de Parfum.

Melon Madness

Aromatic Watermelon– This is a newer entry to the list, as Dossier has now put out their interpretation of the Polo Blue DNA.

Aromatic Watermelon seems to take a bit of a different tact to accomplishing this. Noticeably, suede and cucumber are not listed in the notes here.

Instead, you’ll get cardamom, orris, and verbena in support to accomplish something that smells akin to the Ralph Lauren scent.

Does it accomplish this? I’m not sure, as I haven’t tested this fragrance out. But, I’ve tried Dossier in the past and they’ve done a good job with their versions of designer scents. It’s just another option for a good price to choose from.

The Best Alternate

Calvin Klein ETERNITY for Men AQUA Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Fl Oz– Eternity Aqua is the closest thing you will get to the aroma of Polo Blue EDT. Actually, it comes quite close to replicating it exactly, but there are a few differences.

Mainly, the opening act, is what is so similar to Blue. Eternity shares the cucumber note and that aquatic type of scent, but also features a plum note and citrus, to separate it from the Polo. It turns into a citrus spiciness with Sichuan pepper, with elements from the original Eternity for Men.

Is it better than Polo Blue? In terms of smell, they are really close, but I’m actually partial to Aqua. The longevity of Polo Blue is better, but I get 5-7 hours from this Calvin Klein. It would ultimately come down to price.

Right now, you can find full bottles of Eternity Aqua at some places for under $30, which is a saving versus Blue. If you can get one of the cheap bottles, go with this on over Ralph Lauren. Eternity Aqua Review

Tommy Bahama Option

Maritime Deep Blue– Maritime Deep Blue is one of the more recent releases from Tommy Bahama and it smells quite a bit like a batch of Polo Blue.
There’s not nearly as much of the aquatic-like elements and the citrus notes are toned down. Still present, just not with the same opening intensity.
It’s base has a certain dryness to it, with a really solid juniper note, which is the main distinction from the Polo Blue’s of the world.
As it dries down, it becomes a bit more unique with its cardamom and fresh juniper. It feels dry, fresh, and spicy. Plus, the nice floral and woody touches. Maritime Deep Blue Review

Any Other Alternative Choices?

There aren’t really any other choices for a one to one experience from cheaper brands. However, another option from just the popular EDT version of Polo Blue, is to go with the EDP. I actually enjoy the EDP Polo Blue more, as it has a spicier edge than does the EDT.

To me, it is underappreciated, and provides a similar yet different enough experience from the original to be a great alternative.

Alright, this is my list as it stands of similar men’s fragrances to Polo Blue. I will update this page, as needed, if I happen to come across any other options of colognes that could fit the bill.