Men’s Fashion

8 Best Smelling Perry Ellis Colognes for Men

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Perry Ellis doesn’t usually come up when talking about the ‘best’ designer fragrances on the market. However, this is one of those houses that definitely plays a role within the industry. You will find that most Ellis colognes are available for under $30 and almost universally smell good.

This is a brand that presents so much value for the guy looking to smell fantastic without having to break the bank. In this post, I am going to present what I feel are the 8 best Perry Ellis colognes that have been released thus far.

Favorite Perry Ellis Fragrances for Men

Warm Spice for Winter

Perry Ellis M for Men, 3.4 fl oz Eau de Toilette– Sweet vanilla meets spice from cinnamon and anise to create a fragrance that is sneaky good.  Very warm and fresh, wintertime kind of cologne, that does a solid job at filling that niche.

M is a very nice inexpensive option, as it has a similar scent to Chanel Allure. Not exactly the same, but you do get a close vibe. Creamy vanilla/tonka bean, with spices, and dries down with a bit of a powdery finish.

Citrus and Wood

Perry Ellis Night By Perry Ellis for Men Eau-de-toillete Spray, 3.4 Ounce–A citrus/woody scent that delivers blood orange and lemon notes in a very pleasant presentation. It has a woody dry down that has mossy elements. Don’t really get the ‘night’ moniker, but it is a damn nice cologne.

I really like blood orange in fragrances, it doesn’t get used often enough. The citrus is the star, but, the woodsy base brings it all together with a fresh and somewhat spicy kick. Also, a bit of an amber in there, as well.

Not super complex or one that’s going to stand out with its boldness. But, it gives you a nice experience at a low price.

Reach for the Sky

Sky by Perry Ellis– If you can get this one for fairly cheap, it’s worth checking out as an easygoing daily wear.

Citrus and a light mint note kick things off up top. It’s clean, bright, and sitting on top of a further watery base thanks to the aquatic notes and a touch of violet leaf.

Style wise, this is a lot like other scents like Polo Blue or even Sauvage to some extent. But, Sky is more aquatic and less woody than the Dior in particular. Though, in the dry down there is a good bit of ambroxan.

I will say that it doesn’t smell exactly like any of them, just you know along the lines of what you’re getting here, if you’ve smelled those types of colognes before.

Crisp and watery with some lavender, but mostly that citrus aquatic vibe is what this one is all about.

Midnight Amber

Midnight by Perry Ellis– Not sure if this is a flanker of Night or the brand just continued the theme in their naming. Either way, Midnight is another great release from Perry Ellis, this time giving you an amber and citrus blend.

The opening is an orange note with the ever-present amber and some spiciness provided by cinnamon and rosemary. Beyond that, vanilla gives it a further delicious creaminess, particularly in the dry down when it pairs with the amber.

The thing is, Midnight is not a heavy cologne that will bog you down, it does have a great freshness to it. The citrus, spice, and geranium make sure of that.

Performance is okay. This one is available for cheap, so, don’t expect some complete beast or anything. For the price? I think Perry Ellis Midnight is well worth getting.

The Acqua Alternative

Perry Ellis 360 Red for Men, 3.4 fl oz EDT– Famously well-performing and great smelling fragrance that is available at a low price. Has a familiar blend of citrus with a bit of a spicy kick. Solid cologne all around.

360 Red by Perry Ellis gets compared often with Acqua di Gio. While they do share quite a similar structure, this one has much more of a citrus based aroma, with its lemon and lime start. Later, clove and cinnamon provide its spicy and more masculine edge.

Fresh and inexpensive, with guys swearing by this cologne for years.  360 Red Review

Fresh, Clean, Sporty

Perry Ellis Reserve By Perry Ellis For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– A softer, clean scent that has a hint of sweetness and almost soapy quality to it. A nice casual everyday wear, that won’t overpower, but has a intriguing aroma.

Reserve is a fresh blend with fruits, florals, woods, and musk all mixed together. A 90s throwback with a nice dose of lavender and juniper berries, after that citrus punch in the opening. Good energy and one that can be worn daily or in more casual situations.

The Other 360

Perry Ellis 360 White for Men, 3.4 fl oz Eau de Toilette Spray-The other 360 flanker fragrance on the list, 360 White,  has that Le Male vibe but seems much softer and different enough to stand on its own. Light with floral sweetness and a minty body.

The main difference is going to be the citrus notes up top and the powdery quality is a bit ramped up. Not too heavy and quite versatile for an inexpensive cologne.

It is harder to find a bottle nowadays, as I think that it’s been discontinued. 360 White is still around, so, I’ll keep it on the list but you’ll probably have to search a bit to find it at a good price.

A Bit Like Bleu

Perry Ellis Pour Homme, 3.4 fl oz EDT– Perry Ellis Pour Homme is a clean citrus and spicy fragrance for men, that does a close impression to Bleu de Chanel. At least, for something at this price point.

Beyond that, you get cardamom warmth, lavender, and a lighter woody base and musky dry down. It’s not a terrible performer and will get you plenty of use, just don’t expect a marathon runner. Quite a good cheapie alternative to Bleu, that gives you a nice orange note in lieu of the Chanel citruses.

Best Le Male by JPG Fragrances (Ranked)

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Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier is a series that has been going for about 30 years, at this point. In that time, the brand has released plenty of new editions or special bottles under this fragrance title.

While most of these scents are no longer available on the market, there are some which are more recent, that can be tracked down. On this page, I want to rank the Le Male colognes that I have reviewed on the site, and update it as newer releases emerge. 

Best Le Male Colognes (Ranked)

Still My Favorite

Ultra Male– This one is not going to be a daily wear for most. Even for me, it’s one that I only go to on occasion, and for that reason it may not be the one that you buy. But, I do still think it’s my favorite.

Ultra Male represents a lot of the qualities that I like about JPG colognes. It’s bold, out there, and doesn’t  need to be a signature scent. I’ll wear something else for the day to day, but I want some fragrances in my collection that hit hard and are borderline obnoxious.

Ultra gives you a massive pear and cinnamon combination. It’s sweet and spicy and fills up a room. I’ve got an older bottle, so, I’m not sure if they’ve toned it down in more recent bottles…but this is very potent juice.

Lavender, mint, and vanilla also come through. Later, the lavender and vanilla are the main attractions, along with some amber.

Ultra Male isn’t the Gaultier for everyone or every use case, despite its popularity. Though, it’s a very good release for what it is. Ultra Male review

A Better Elixir

Le Male Elixir Absolu– Yep, this has already climbed up to the second spot on my list of favorite Le Male fragrances. I’m not sure if this one has gotten a positive reception since its release, but I wear this one way more often than the original Elixir.

Admittedly, the opening is kind of shaky and not my favorite. Once we get into things, I think Elixir Absolu really starts to shine, and I thoroughly enjoy wearing this.

This one opens with lavender as the big player, along with some warmer spice, and the plummy sweetness. Now, it’s not a juicy plum note, it’s subtle but present.

Lavender, tonka bean, and some smooth sweetness highlights most of the wear. Performance is great and it’s a better formula than the first Elixir. Elixir Absolu review

Best Daily Wear

Le Male Le Parfum– This is the one to go with, if you want something that’s going to be an easy to wear and attractive cologne for day and night use.

It opens with a prominent cardamom note and some other spice (pretty sure it’s cinnamon). Lavender and vanilla already begin to emerge. However, early on the iris is the main focus of this scent.

The dry down? Lavender, vanilla, and amber.

This is a really good cologne for most guys. It’s an easy no brainer sort of wear. There are plenty of other iris fragrance options. A more recent release, Society Extreme, is one that I bought and like more than this Gaultier.

Yet, I have to give this one its due, even if I tend to like the bolder Le Male scents. Le Parfum review

First Elixir

Le Male Elixir– I’m going to put Elixir here. It’s still one that I like, but Elixir Absolu has pulled away as my favorite between them, to the point that I barely spray this one on anymore.

This is still likeable, but you’re going to have to appreciate a very sweet and loud sort of cologne. This one is warmer and thicker, with its honey note and amber. Yet, it has a cooling spiced opening act with mint.

Lavender, honey, amber, tobacco, and tonka bean are major players here. The scent does develop and has different facets to enjoy during the wear. I’d like Absolu more, but some of you might still want to go with this one. Le Male Elixir review

Lover

Le Male Lover– I don’t have too much experience with this one. But, when I tried it out, I liked what it does. If you don’t like the Elixir entries to this series, Le Male Lover could be a good alternative for you.

It’s a better version of Le Male In the Navy. More complex with a better use of vanilla and the oceanic accord. In the Navy feels much thinner and has less going on than does Lover.

Based on my limited testing with this, I’d put it about equal with the original Le Male. It’s good, maybe I’d find it to be a notch below, if I gave it some more time. But, if you find it at a discounter, I think it can be a good pick up.

The Original

Le Male– I’ve gone through so many periods over the years of loving this fragrance and then not wanting to wear it at all. That’s basically what happened again with my latest smaller bottle of Le Male.

Yes, it’s the original. Yes, it’s a classic. It still has its positives and can be worth it, but I’m not always enamored with the result.

It opens up spicy and with its vanilla already coming out and never leaving. It’s a mix of coolness and warmth, before the smoother lavender and vanilla blend really take hold. Orange blossom is another floral note in the mix.

At times, Le Male is creamy, but it does have more of a powdery finish overall. Still a nice buy. Le Male review

Not so Terrible

Le Male Terrible– You probably won’t find many bottles of Le Male Terrible still around, but just in case, I’ll put it on the list since I’ve already reviewed it. It came out back in 2010.

Overall? It’s pretty good. Quite similar to the original Le Male, but Terrible opens up with pink pepper in lieu of the mint note, along with a grapefruit.

Cardamom is also missing from the mix. Lavender and vanilla are still the leads with this one. However, vetiver, pink pepper, and amber also lend support to make it more of a unique blend.

If you can find this for really cheap and want a different take on Le Male EDT, it warrants a try. Anything above $50-60? I’d almost certainly pass. Le Male Terrible review

Fly with JPG

Le Male Airlines– Airlines had potential. The opening act with the cardamom is really attractive. Much of the time, this one feels like a relative of 1 Million Royal. Overall, it’s a nice cologne, just not one that you need to have.

My bottle was $30 or so, a few years ago. Even with that being the case, I don’t wear Le Male Airlines very often. I wore it a few times in autumn and winter, just to go walk outside with.

Light citrus and artemisia break up the usual Le Male pacing. The Cardamom is really amped up here, but it still has the familiar mint and cinnamon combination in the blend.

The back half is less fresh and spicy. It’s cooler and softer, with the lavender and some woods taking hold of the composition. Airlines review

On the Ocean

Le Male in the Navy– I’m not sure if bottles of In the Navy are still easy to find a decent price, but honestly, don’t bother. This isn’t a worthwhile fragrance and I would rather wear Airlines versus this, any day of the week.

Peppermint, vanilla, ambergris, and an oceanic accord. I thought that it might have some style with its simplicity, but was ultimately disappointed.

I do like the peppermint in the beginning, but the rest of the way its a watery mix of vanilla and ambergris. Nothing too spectacular here and not one to track down. In the Navy review

Which is the Best Dior Sauvage Fragrance?

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Christian Dior’s Sauvage is probably the most popular men’s fragrance line in the world, right now. However, when you are given three options with the same name, it can be difficult to discern the differences and which you should choose.

In this post, I am going to rank these colognes, and break down which smells the best. I’ve thoroughly tested and reviewed each Sauvage scent, so, the rankings are very clear in my mind.

Dior Sauvage EDP vs. Parfum vs. EDT vs. Elixir

The Best Sauvage

Sauvage Elixir at Macy’s– The newest release is now the best of the bunch. In terms of smell, it’s slightly ahead of the EDP version, but this concentrated Elixir is an absolute beast performer.

It does go in a different direction from the other Sauvage fragrances. However, it retains is central lavender note and the same structure of citrus, spice, and woods.

To me, the best part of Elixir comes from its newer spice accord, mainly the cinnamon and nutmeg notes. I never liked the Sichuan pepper very much in the original, but this new blend is absolutely great. 

Yes, it’s more expensive, but it lasts all day and actually brings a new interpretation to the line. Sauvage Elixir Review

Update: Coming back to this one, a few years after its release, and I do still really like it. The dry down with the lavender is even more appealing to my nose than before. It’s really powerful, but I think it is the top pick in this Dior line.

The Close Second

1. Sauvage by Dior Eau de Parfum Spray, 2 Fl Oz– Sauvage EDP was (before 2021) my favorite offering from this lineup, without a doubt. I was pretty much indifferent to the original EDT, but this edition, really grabbed my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed wearing it.

It opens up, as a much smoother wear. The warm ambroxan leads the way and calms down the sharper elements of Sichuan pepper and bergamot. Beyond that, you get a dark and smoky vanilla note, and the EDP is less of a lavender bomb than its predecessor.

It’s clean, well put together, and has depth. The anise, pepper, and nutmeg trio are introduced later on to give Sauvage EDP some more spice, but it’s never overwhelming.

Finally, the performance is top notch. The sillage is huge, it can project itself very well off of my skin, and lasts all day without quitting. For those who don’t want to pay the high price of Elixir, this is still a great option.  Sauvage EDP Full Review

Darker and Woody

2. Dior Sauvage Parfum 100 ml 3.4 oz spray– Parfum really strikes me as the middle ground fragrance of the Sauvage line. It opens up with a citrus blast, like the EDT, but with an added juicy mandarin orange note. It also doesn’t have the same spice.

It differs from the EDP version, with way less of the ambroxan note. You do get vanilla, but it is paired with tonka bean and sandalwood, giving this a creaminess that is more pronounced than the others. 

Later on though, Sauvage Parfum develops its own identity. It’s dark, dry, woody, with a some sweetness. Sandalwood and cedar are in a leading role, along with vanilla, and some of the citrus juiciness.

It doesn’t have the same strength as the EDP, but it is still a powerful fragrance, and will last 10+ hours. I do enjoy this one, it’s just a notch below EDP, in my opinion. Though, if you want a less ambroxan heavy version, this is it. Sauvage Parfum Review

 

The Original

3. Sauvage by Christian Dior Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– To me, the original Sauvage is the least compelling of the bunch. Not that it is a bad fragrance, it’s just been outdone by its successors, and other colognes on the market.

Luna Rossa Carbon, for example, smells very similar to Sauvage EDT but is a better version. 

Sauvage EDT is much more geared toward the citrus notes. The opening is a mix of sharp bergamot and spicy pepper. It is intense and not my favorite aspect of the scent.

Later, the signature ambroxan note comes in, along with lavender to calm down the composition. The longevity is good, but not as long lasting as the EDP. Though, this is a good performer when the climate is warm. Sauvage EDT Full Review

5. Sauvage Eau Forte– It’s not as bad as everyone seemingly made it out to be. But, Eau Forte is my least favorite fragrance in the series. Though, I actually liked parts of it.

I like the cold almost misty sort of aroma that it gives off early. This is an alcohol free version of this scent and I’ve always gotten the mental impression of being near a waterfall in a forest with the opening sprays.

The spice here feels more generic and is held back somewhat by the resinous elemi note. Lavender and woody notes are the main thrust of Eau Forte for much of the wear. 

But, having tested this one out plenty, the back half becomes muskier and much less remarkable than the rather enjoyable start. Mostly just lavender and musk. The weakest and worst performer of the Sauvage lineup too. Eau Forte review

Uomo Born in Roma Yellow Dream vs Coral Fantasy

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Uomo Born in Roma has become an extremely popular line of fragrances for Valentino and is producing new flanker scents each year. Two of these flankers to the original are: Yellow Dream and Coral Fantasy.

But, which of these two actually smell better? Which lasts longer? Which is ultimately the better buy? Here is my full breakdown and comparison of each, after having tested each of them out.

Tale of the Tape: Uomo Born in Roma Coral Fantasy vs. Yellow Dream

Coral Fantasy

Notes include: red apple, tobacco, patchouli, sage, geranium

Click here to try: Uomo Coral Fantasy

Read my review: Coral

roma coral fantasy review

Yellow Dream

Notes include: gingerbread, lime, pineapple, cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, cedar, geranium

Click here to try: Born in Roma Yellow Dream

Opening

Coral Fantasy opens with a sweet and succulent red apple note, supported by cardamom and other spices in more subtle roles.

Sage and some citrusy bergamot round out the opening profile. That bergamot enhances the red apple beautifully. Very bright and fairly sharp.

In the later stages, freshness emerges through geranium, clean-smelling lavender, and tobacco.

Meanwhile, Yellow Dream opens up with some light freshness and juiciness from its fruity notes. The pineapple is slightly stronger than then mandarin orange, but both are somewhat subdued by the warmer and spicier notes.

There’s already a heaviness in the base. I get lots of the gingerbread accord, obviously we’re going to have plenty of ginger and cinnamon spice in this mix.

Though, that vanilla note is already fairly present from the jump.

Which is better?

I like both in the opening act, but Coral Fantasy has a more unique and ultimately somewhat better dynamic at the start of the wear than does Yellow Dream.

Edge: Coral

Projection

Coral Fantasy is a more moderate fragrance overall. It doesn’t achieve the same reach as Intense or even the EDT, though it does start reasonably strong.

It’s also not as heavy of a scent as Intense or others in the line, like Rockstud Noir.

Yellow Dream is also pretty moderate with how it projects. It is the heavier and thicker of the two fragrances and I also think that it has a bit better projection than Coral Fantasy.

Not a massive difference, but I’d give the edge to Born in Roma Yellow Dream.

Edge: Yellow Dream

Longevity

Coral Fantasy tends to persist in that 6-7 hour territory. Perhaps slightly longer, but I still consider it a step down compared to Roma EDT.

With Yellow Dream, I get more than 7 hours and maybe it hits 8 or 8.5 hours in total sometimes. It’s not an absolute beast with its performance, but it does have a slight advantage again here over Coral Fantasy.

Neither is great, Yellow Dream is just better.

Edge: Yellow Dream

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these work best from autumn through spring. Neither is built for hotter weather, but can do just fine when things are temperate.

Coral Fantasy has more of an extension into warmer weather than does the heavier Yellow Dream.

They’re both quite versatile in their use cases. Coral Fantasy and Yellow Dream can be worn by any age group, though these aren’t very formal fragrances. Both will have more use cases among the younger age cohort.

One is cozy and spicy sweet, while the other is more of a sweet, tobacco, and woodsy aroma.

Not much separation here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, overall which of these two Valentino fragrances is the better one between them? Which do I actually prefer wearing?

With Born in Roma Coral Fantasy, I was excited to try it out upon its release. Ultimately, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped for.

The apple note is good and is the highlight of the fragrance, but I was expecting more. It was above average with decent performance.

Though, it’s saving grace in this competition could’ve been that Yellow Dream isn’t particularly outstanding either.

Yet, having worn both of these fragrances quite a lot, I still think that I prefer Yellow Dream more so than Coral.

I like the opening act of Coral Fantasy, but then it becomes pretty unremarkable. Yellow Dream is pretty good throughout at least, with moments where it is much better. To me, it’s just a steadier level of enjoyment.

There’s not a huge gap in my opinion of all the releases from the Born in Roma line. These two are almost neck and neck, but I have actually wanted to wear Yellow Dream here recently, and that was not the case when I had a bunch of samples of Coral Fantasy.

I basically forgot about it after I did my testing and review of that cologne.

Winner: Yellow Dream

Ranking Le Beau by JPG Fragrances

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Le Beau is a much newer line than the more popular Le Male fragrances by Gaultier. But, they have become quite popular in their own right. The question is, what is the best smelling Le Beau from JPG? Or better yet, which is the top option for you?

On this page, I keep track of these scents and rank each of them from first to my least favorite.

Ranking JPG Le Beau Colognes

Trip to Paradise

Paradise Garden– The tropical summertime theme may limit its use case for a lot of people. However, in terms of how each of these colognes smells, Paradise Garden is my favorite from this line.

The opening blends sweetness, freshness, a cooling spice, and an aquatic quality throughout. It carries a greenish aroma from the fig that pairs beautifully with the coconut, and I personally detect a substantial dose of the ginger note.

The fig leans more toward the fruit rather than the leaf, though it seems like you get a blend of both parts. Sweet and green.

Salt? Not too much that I can detect.

While the coconut has a more watery quality, there’s still some creaminess to the mixture. Nice support from sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean ensures this.

I get more of the sandalwood during the dry down period. Really nice performance, too. Le Beau Paradise Garden review

Pineapple, Coconut, Creamy

Le Beau Le Parfum– Le Parfum, to me, is a much more interesting variant of the original Le Beau formula. More depth and almost as good as Paradise Garden.

At first,  I get a really tropical vibe with the pineapple coming out of the gate strong and the coconut note sitting underneath. It’s juicy, creamy, and sweet with an added light spicy kick from the ginger note.

The ginger will fall away and the pineapple will lose its prominence at the top. Coconut, tonka bean, amber, and a general set of woods will dry this one up and take away the juiciness of that tropical vibe, at least.

It’s crazy how quickly that aspect fades from the picture. Sure, that sweetness stays around for the duration, just not in the same way.

Sandalwood and the tonka bean really do assist a lot at adding the creamy finish to this one. Le Parfum review

Flowers Everywhere

Le Beau Flower Edition– This one is going to have a lot more of a narrow reach in terms of its fans. This is due to its floral composition. While not completely amazing, I actually have enjoyed this release from JPG.

Le Beau Flower Edition starts off being sweet, fruity, green, and fresh. I was hesitant about this one when I saw that it had a violet or violet leaf note.

This, along with the kumquat and slight lemon pairing up top is surprisingly good. It replaces the coconut note found in other Le Beau releases.

Kumquat is a note that’s not used too often, but I don’t think either this or the violet takes over completely in this early stage. I did think that this one might be a lot fresher than it is.

It’s there for sure, but once the kumquat starts to fade, there is a somewhat musky/greenish transition before it settles into a violet led ending. Flower Edition full review

The Original

Le Beau EDT– I don’t find this one to be bad, but Le Beau EDT is my least favorite of the bunch.

Le Beau EDT starts off with its citrus and coconut wood blended together. It’s got a fresh and blue sort of tone to it in the opening. Pretty simple up top.

To me, this one really gets going once the tonka bean note has ramped up and the bergamot has settled. That’s when the creaminess of the fragrance unfolds.

Le Beau EDT, again, is a likeable cologne. As a daily wear for younger guys, it works well. The opening act isn’t great, but that dry down is pretty nice with the tonka bean and wood coming through more.