Fragrances

Voyage Sport by Nautica

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So, the original Nautica Voyage has been an insanely popular fragrance for a long time now. This is because of both the smell, but more importantly, the price. It’s a good deal, getting a cologne like that for under $20, and why Nautica has been trying to capitalize on that name by releasing subsequent flanker fragrances. Today’s entry is one of those, Nautica Voyage Sport. How does this scent stack up? Perform? Is it even worth a try?

What Does Nautica Voyage Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: sea spray accord, citrus zest, coriander, palm leaves, green peppercorn, apple, Brazil wood, vetiver

Click here to try: NAUTICA Voyage Sport Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Full Wear Review

It is pretty difficult for me to determine what exactly is going on during the opening of Nautica Voyage Sport. All of the notes seem to run together and makes it hard to distinguish one ingredient from another.

It’s kind of musky, citrusy, and has that familiar alcohol smell. A couple minutes in, the cologne settles down, but the first two minutes are messy.

Once it does settle, Voyage Sport provides both a citrus zest and spice from corainder and the green peppercorn note. This is all surrounded by the so-called ‘sea spray accord’, which is just a somewhat salty aromatic approximation of the ocean.

The spices are much more noticeable to me than are the citrus notes and Voyage Sport, almost has a similar vibe to Tommy Bahama’s Very Cool (though, smells differently).

When I try to pick up similarities between this and the original Voyage, there really isn’t much there to work with. Maybe some muted fruitiness and a touch of musk, but that seems to be all. It actually smells kind of dry for a fragrance with sea spray, as a main attraction, but that seems to come from the spices, vetiver, and wood notes.

There is an apple note, as well, but gets quite overshadowed by the citrus notes up top. So, it’s not going to resemble Voyage, even with that fruit note.

As it dries down more, Voyage Sport, becomes less spicy and more aquatic in character. The coriander fades a whole lot and I start to pick up more fruit and musk, as I wrote, it’s citrus more so than the apple note.

From this point forward, what I get is a semi-oceanic fragrance with citrus some musk and a cool/crisp underlying spice. There’s a bit of woodiness in there, but doesn’t ever form much of a strong base.

Sillage, Longevity, and When It Should be Worn

Projection wise, Voyage Sport is pretty darn mediocre. The sillage isn’t much above skin scent for me, at it’s peak, and even if I put it on a shirt nearby I don’t really detect it. Super weak, really doesn’t live up to the original Voyage’s performance level.

Even the notes themselves, suggest a lighter fragrance (sea spray and citrus zest). That’s fine, but there’s really very little actual substance with Sport, even for a summertime kind of wear.

The longevity also isn’t great. It can go 3-4 hours as a skin scent, but again the performance is lacking and it makes it kind of not worth it. If it were a lighter to moderate scent with around six hours, that’d be pretty respectable for the price point.

I know Nautica fragrances, quickly get sent to the clearance shelves after release, but I wish they’d do a better job with the performance. Even when the colognes are pretty run of the mill, at least make them last somewhat long.

Seasonally, it’s a spring/summer wear. It’s casual all the way. Voyage Sport is for a younger guy, probably high school age, maybe college. It’s not something to be worn formally or as a date night scent.

Just something to quickly freshen up or wear out, if you can get decent performance out of it. As the name says, it’s a ‘sport’ fragrance. Don’t expect much, outside of being a starter fragrance or something to spray for a workout or super casual situations.

Overall Impression

Overall, do I like Nautica Voyage Sport? I don’t hate it, it is just not very good, in totality. The scent itself smells pretty good, but not anything amazing. However, that wouldn’t be a problem for an inexpensive cologne like this, if it had awesome performance…it doesn’t.

It might be worth a shot, because it is so cheap, to try it out and see if performs on your skin. It is cheap enough that double spraying, won’t be an issue or hurdle to simply buying another bottle.

It’s a pass for me, there are plenty of other cheapies, that smell better and have greater performance. Nautica could probably have an insane lock on the cheapie market, if they produced more performers or interesting fragrances, Sport definitely isn’t either of those.

Most of the Voyage Flankers haven’t lived up to the billing, of what the original offers. Not one that smells amazing. Not one that really serves as a value play.

Polo Red vs Polo Blue EDT Cologne Comparison

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I’ve done a whole lot of reviews of Ralph Lauren Polo scents on this site already and even created a list of the brand’s top fragrances. In this post, I want to compare Polo Red cologne versus Polo Blue and see which one will be a better fit for most guys out there.

As always, I will break it down by various performance metrics and include my original reviews for each of these scents.

Which Cologne is Better Polo Red or Blue?

Polo Red Tale of the Tape

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Notes of Polo Red: grapefruit, italian lemon, cranberry, saffron, sage

Try Polo Red: Ralph Lauren Polo Red Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original review: Polo Red Ralph Lauren Review

Polo Blue Tale of the Tape

Notes include: melon, orange, sage, basil, cucumber, geranium, suede, musk

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Opening

These two scents are a contrast of cool (Blue) vs. warm (Red) during the opening. Neither one of these fragrances smells bad at first, so, it really comes down to one’s preference between the aquatic opening and warmer citrus/fruit blend. I enjoy the latter.

Polo Blue EDT kicks things off with cucumber, melon, and citrus notes. Obviously, the cucumber and melon give off that crisp and watery vibe.

It is actually quite nice, and as the years have passed, it has grown on me more and more. Underneath that, is an herbal mix of basil and some other notes, giving a slight spice to Blue.

Red, meanwhile, starts with a very sharp/tart lemon and cranberry mix that gets its warm support from amber. Yes, it gets infused with a sweetness too, but I really dig the use of cranberry in this cologne. It isn’t a note that is ever really utilized and it creates a unique vibe.

I have grown to like Blue more than I used to, but Polo Red still has the better opening act, to me. That lemon and cranberry mix, can really hit hard with the amber undertones. So, it can get some taking used to.

Edge: Polo Red

Projection

Neither cologne is a beast. Both are rather moderate. Polo Red seems to be the weaker of the two in this regard and it usually takes me using a bit more of it to get good performance.

Red actually starts off pretty powerful. It settles down, much more than Blue does, and doesn’t have that same intensity of sillage. Blue, is moderate, but keeps fairly steady for longer.

Red might actually have the higher peak, but it just doesn’t hold as well.

Edge: Polo Blue

Longevity

Polo Red has some problems with longevity, which I’ve somewhat solved by just applying more. Depending on how much I wear, it will last in the 4-7 hour range, in most cases.

Not amazing, but it can be quite useful. When it’s colder outside, it will hit the higher end of the spectrum.

Blue, on the other hand, has good longevity and will get a full workday out of it most of the time. So, 7-9 hours, give or take. It isn’t powerful, but it will hang around, with you.

Most of the Blue scents, outside of Ultra, will hit about this same amount. Some better than others.

Edge: Polo Blue

Versatility

I’d say both are equally versatile in their application in terms of: season, occasion, personal style, etc.

Blue is probably better for being low key, in office situations, as it isn’t nearly as sweet, when compared to Red. However, on balance, they both have about equal usefulness.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I enjoy Polo Red much more than Blue. That’s just my personal preference. I find it to be more unique and a better smelling fragrance overall. Polo Red has released other flankers under this name, but they aren’t really the same as the original

. So, if you want that mix of tart, sweetness, and warmth with less spice…you need the original.

Polo Blue seems more generic and while it is attractive, it smells like a whole lot of other aquatics out there. For instance, Eternity Aqua is almost exactly the same, and is usually cheaper. I also like Polo Blue EDP and Deep Blue more than the original.

However, in terms of value and everyday wear, many guys would probably find Polo Blue to be the better fit for them. It does project better and last longer than Red does. Again though, you can get a cheaper version from other brands, or a better version from Polo.

Blue is the safer choice, but Red is a more interesting one.

Winner: Polo Blue (for most guys) but Polo Red smells a bit better

6 Best Smelling Kenneth Cole Colognes

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Kenneth Cole has released plenty of popular men’s fragrances over the years and has quite a lineup to choose from, up to this day. Yet, this brand still flies under the radar sometimes, and doesn’t particularly get its due.

Are most of its colognes groundbreaking? No, but there is plenty of great options, that are usually available at value prices. So, in this post I want to cover what I feel are the six best smelling scents from Kenneth Cole for men.

What are the Top Kenneth Cole Fragrances for Men?

Best Summer Cole Scent

Kenneth Cole Reaction, 3.4 Fl oz– Reaction is still a very popular men’s fragrance after all of these years, and will seemingly be for a long time. It is fairly simple overall, but very fresh and crisp. You get a blend of citrus fruits, apple, and melon.

Reaction has a youthful vibe and fits in nicely for many occasions. During the dry down, it is mostly the melon, some apple, and the smooth sandalwood note.

With the melon notes and apple, you do get a crispness, and that sort of watery juiciness that comes with those fruits. So, Reaction does put off a somewhat aquatic feel. Really, Kenneth Cole Reaction is going to be best served, by being worn by a younger man. It does give of a very youthful vibe.

Best Daily Wear Fragrance

Kenneth Cole Signature, 3.4 Fl Oz– Kenneth Cole Signature is another great option from this brand. It starts off with citrus and slightly spicy and warm notes, including cardamom, at the top. Then, it transitions more into a woody fragrance with a unique papyrus ingredient. 

It starts off with that sweet citrus and spicy blend, but the spices take over more further along, and blends with the earthiness of the woods. Not a huge sillage, but certainly not weak. Just a solid performer all around, with a fairly creative, and masculine scent.

When the citrus is at its most powerful, this does come across as a more mature version of Reaction. The woody period is very fresh, while still being understated.

Light Fruity Scent

Kenneth Cole Reaction Connected Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce– Reaction Connected is another fruity based scent at the top, with a melon quality, and a slight salty/aquatic feeling that can seem oceanic. That’s really what it’s like, at the start.

However, as it dries down, you still get the fruits but also plenty of violet leaf and wood. The middle is more herbal and the end is more earthy/woody. Connected has a really nice sweet and juicy fruit profile, but with more depth than other similar fragrances, on the market.

Reaction Connected is a lot like Nautica Voyage, but with less of the green-ish smell, and the floral notes. Melon with a ‘blue’ impression and some earthier qualities in the dry down. Pretty simple and a nice alternative to the original Reaction.

Best Seller

Kenneth Cole Black, 3.4 Fl Oz– Kenneth Cole Black is probably the most popular men’s fragrance from this line and it actually is one of the best. The opening blast of mandarin orange is wonderful and juicy.

This is paired with notes like mint and basil, which gives it an intoxication herbal spice which pairs well with the citrus. Black is very fresh and not heavy and dark.

In fact, it dries down with a lovely lotus flower note, to go along with the aforementioned ingredients. This is a good option for guys who want a daily wear, with decent performance, and isn’t ‘too loud’.

Simple and Clean

Kenneth Cole Mankind, 3.4 Fl oz– The original is the best, from the Mankind lineup, and is a much better version than Mankind Ultimate. Mankind is a pretty simple one, with pineapple giving it a fruitiness, and dry woods permeating throughout.

Also, you get some spice from ginger/tarragon and others, but not too much. It ultimately dries down into a clean wood scent, with some pineapple and tonka bean creaminess.

The opening fresh spiciness is great, I really dig the ginger note in this one. Performance is okay, but still serviceable. Smells very similar to many different fragrances out there, but has enough differences to stand on its own. Needs a bit more power, but a good scent to wear.

Great Black Flanker

Copper Black– This one is a nice pickup, with some similarities to Legend Night by Montblanc (though, that one is better in my opinion). Night has a bit more power and freshness to it.

Anyway, Copper Black gives you a nice apple opening with undertones of bourbon coming through. The warm spice is provided by the liquor and the cardamom note, which overlaps with Legend Night.

It’s going to shift more towards the vanilla and tonka bean notes, as the booze burns off pretty much entirely. However, you get a nice journey and development from this one. I would expect this to be a heavier scent, based on the notes, but it really isn’t.

Performance is okay, definitely pretty average as a whole, but the scent itself is without a doubt one of the best from Kenneth Cole.

Prada Luna Rossa vs Luna Rossa Carbon Comparison

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Here we are with another head to head cologne comparison between two Prada fragrances, from the Luna Rossa line: Luna Rossa vs. Carbon. Now, Luna Rossa Carbon is obviously a flanker scent to the original, but did it end up surpassing it in quality? In this post, I’m going to do my usual breakdown of features, which has the edge in categories, and the overall best smelling option out of the two.

Tale of the Tape: Luna Rossa vs. Carbon

Luna Rossa Carbon

Notes include: lavender, ambroxan, metallic notes, pepper, patchouli, coal, bergamot

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa CARBON for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 ounce

My Original Review: Luna Rossa Carbon

Luna Rossa

Notes include:  lavender, sage, spearmint, ambrette, ambroxan, and bitter orange

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Review: Luna Rossa Review

Opening

The original Luna Rossa, opens with a blast of citrus and lavender, which is quickly joined by that cold spearmint note. It has a bright, positive, albeit ‘breezy’ sort of quality. The bitter orange citrus is the main highlight of the open.

It’s not too complex of a cologne. It’s a nice balance between that bitter orange citrus and the cooling freshness of the spearmint. Add to that, the signature lavender (which starts off lighter), and you’ve got yourself a very pleasing scent.

Carbon, on the other hand, opens with a pretty intense bergamot citrus, and is joined by lavender, pepper, and ambroxan.

After about five minutes, the lavender becomes much more of the biggest star of the composition. This whole affair, is why it draws so many comparisons with Sauvage.

Which one do I like better? I think I have a slight affinity towards how Luna Rossa starts off. The orange gives it a different citrus aroma, they share the lavender, and the mint sets it apart.

Plus, the lavender is much more subdued in the original than in Carbon. The more time that I have spent with each, over the past few years, the more that I like Luna Rossa’s start compared to Carbon’s.

Edge: Luna Rossa

Projection

Luna Rossa is moderate. Heck, even on the lighter end of the spectrum of moderate. Carbon is pretty loud at the beginning and then settles down into a moderate, though, it is a stronger moderate than the original. Carbon wins this.

The citrus, pepper, and ambroxan  gives Carbon its punch early on. It outdoes the mint note in the original.

Luna Rossa isn’t weak, it’s just not a powerhouse. You’ll definitely notice that its there, but you’re not going to overwhelm the room, unless you go crazy with the sprays.

Edge: Carbon

Longevity

This is another clear win for Carbon. It’ll last 10+ hours on my skin, while I can only manage 6-8 hours with Luna Rossa. Luna Rossa isn’t bad, but Carbon has better staying power. Both of these fall pretty consistently within this range.

Luna Rossa doesn’t have that one note, that will just keep going, while Carbon does have more heft to its overall composition.

Edge: Carbon

Versatility

I don’t see a real winner in terms of when it can be worn seasonally or during specific occasions. They can both do the everyday, casual, office wear, and date night. These two scents are very versatile.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, Carbon has the edge in terms of it’s strength and staying power, and there’s no clear winner in versatility. However, in my mind the original Luna Rossa smells better.

It’s a simple fragrance, but effective. In it’s minimalism, Luna Rossa is very fresh and inviting. The spearmint note adds a nice little dash of cooled sharpness to the cologne, which I feel keeps it from getting boring.

It’s invigorating and very pleasant. The lavender never becomes too heavy and once that initial orange and mint tones down, it’s an attractive wear.

I like Carbon too. If you’re someone who really enjoys Dior Sauvage, this is a very close approximation of that scent, especially when smelled from a distance. Neither one of these is a bad cologne, but Luna Rossa has a more pleasant and desirable aroma, in my opinion.

It sort of all depends on how you want your lavender note served up. I just prefer the original more so.

Winner: Luna Rossa

La Nuit de L’Homme by YSL

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I wanted to start a whole new swath of fragrance reviews on this site and thought that I’d start with an offering from one of my favorite design houses, Yves Saint Laurent. YSL has several classic scents under their belts for both men and women but it is not content on relying on old staples and continues to crank out great colognes.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at the highly popular La Nuit de L’Homme, and give my opinion as to whether or not it is worth a try. Other YSL Reviews: L’Homme Libre, Body Kouros, L’Homme

What does La Nuit de L’Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, vetiver, lavender, cedar

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

Full Wear Review

The first impressions that I gather from La Nuit is how utterly perfect it seems for nighttime wear. I mean, there are plenty of great smelling colognes, but this is just built for a night on the town and for getting close to the ladies.

It’s a sweet scent that doesn’t venture off into the super candy-like aroma, rather, it remains steadfast in its masculinity. Sweet, but the opening is a spicy freshness, with dry and woody undertones. That will shift, as we move along, but the opening brings it.

At the top,  you are definitely getting hit with the cardamom right away. This note will often be a supporting player, but in La Nuit de l’Homme, it is the main attraction.

At first, it is paired with a very light citrus note of bergamot, which gives the composition a bit of brightness. However, the overall impression is one of warmth, and super freshness.

After the first few minutes, the lavender steps up big time, along with the cedar. So, you get a mix of cardamom and lavender (cardamom still the strongest), with fresh woody aromas emanating from the base.

It pretty much stays like this for the duration of the rest of the wear, but a nice vetiver does begin to peak through to about the same level as the cedar. La Nuit is a warm slightly sweet and slightly spicy fragrance, that has a fresh cleanliness, and a dark character.

For a time, La Nuit is quite powdery and has a really attractive aroma, as it dries down. I like the opening of this scent, but the dry down is fantastic.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s not a fill the room scent. It is subtle, but still noticeable, to those in your immediate presence. The sillage starts off moderate, but goes light after about an hour or two. Don’t expect a powerhouse from this or the other scents in the L’Homme lineup of colognes.

That initial punch is still pretty solid, though. Just nowadays, it doesn’t keep to that same level for all that long.

I don’t find its longevity to be anything spectacular either, it will usually last for what you need it to do (6 hours of solid performance and then maybe 2 more that it has faded a bit). For me, it has been a consistent 6-8 hour scent over the years, including the last time I recently tried it.

I know, there have been reformulations, and some think it is now weaker. I’m not sure, but again, never been a beast for me.

Update: I recently tried a newer batch of this and it was around 5 hours of wear. That’s pretty bad for a designer fragrance. The scent is absolutely still great, but I’ve really got to spray the heck out of my bottle whenever I wear it. Not too big of a deal, but La Nuit has taken a step back over the years.

It is such a balanced offering and I think that is part of the reason that it is so good. It smooth, not overpowering, and it has an alluring mystery behind it. I would say that this is a date night type of cologne and not a bold nightclub standout such as 1 Million.

Also, where 1 Million is more energetic and youthful, La Nuit De L’Homme is classy and refined. Though, it is quite versatile beyond that application.

You can wear it casually or to work as well. It’ll fit in just fine. Seasonally, best in colder to temperate weather, not a summertime scent.

It is among the sexiest men’s fragrances out there, because it always seems to draw compliments. It’s just been consistent for me over the years, with how it draws attention, even in its lighter state.

That seems to be once it settles down into its more powdery state and less during its more intense opening.

La Nuit de L’Homme is one that has been the signature scent for many guys, since its release. It can still play that role, just not to the same degree now, with the performance issues.

Overall Impressions of La Nuit

Overall, though, I have to recommend this scent. It is sexy and pleasing and generally very well-liked by women. I really like the opening burst, with the bergamot. Plus, the dry down when the vetiver arrives is great.

That opening act with the bergamot and cardamom is nice. But, coming back to this one with my newer bottle, I have been remembering how much I enjoy the mid and latter stages of La Nuit de L’homme.

The lavender, vetiver, and cedar…along with the remaining but toned down cardamom is still awesome and a pleasure to wear.

Scent wise, this is a definite buy. Performance wise, it’s just okay. This has been a very popular scent for long time now, so, it has proven itself among the masses and gotten very positive feedback. Give it a try for yourself.

The good news is that, it’s one that actually does go on sale from time to time, either directly from YSL or through a discount site. I got it and a bottle of L’Homme from YSL, buy one get one free, if I remember correctly.