Ralph Lauren

Polo Red Intense vs. Extreme Cologne Comparison

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Today, I am going to be doing a head to head comparison between two Ralph Lauren fragrances. These two entries are from the Polo Red lineup and are flankers to the original cologne: Polo Red Extreme vs. Intense. I have worn and review each already, but which one is the better buy? Which lasts longer? Smells the best? I will break down each by category, before declaring an ultimate winner.

Tale of the Tape: Red Intense vs Extreme

Polo Red Extreme

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

Click here to try: Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounce, Ralph Lauren Men

Read my review: Polo Red Extreme

Polo Red Intense

Notes include: cranberry, grapefruit, coffee, leather, ginger, amber, lavender, lemon, cedar, sage, saffron

Click here to try: Ralph Lauren Polo Red Intense for Men 4.2 Oz Edp Spray By Ralph Lauren, 4.2 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: Polo Red Intense

Opening

Polo Red Extreme opens up with coffee and blood orange, I also get a bit of that tart cranberry note, which is in all Polo Red fragrances.

Intense opens with a similar profile to the original Polo Red, using cranberry and lemon, for a bright fruity start. However, it is also joined by spicy notes such as ginger, sage, saffron, and that warm coffee.

Which is better? I think that Intense is quite an improvement over the original and I like it a whole lot. However, I like the mature simplicity of Extreme, even more.

The blood orange note is great, very juicy, and the coffee is even stronger than the rest of the lineup. Not way better, but I like it a tad more.

Edge: Extreme

Projection

To me, the first few hours of wear, for both Intense and Extreme are about the same. The sillage for each is quite strong and will definitely project itself plenty away from the wearer. After a few hours, Intense becomes more moderate, while Extreme remains close to how it opened.

Edge: Extreme

Longevity

Again, in terms of performance, they are quite similar but Extreme has the ability to go longer. Extreme lasts 8-10 hours, on my skin, depending on the day. Meanwhile, Intense lasts 7-9 hours. Obviously, some overlap here, but Extreme reaches a greater height.

Edge: Extreme

Versatility

These scents are pretty equal, in when they can be worn. Both are best for cooler temperatures and don’t do great in the heat. Casual and nightlife fragrances mainly, but you can wear to the office, if you go light with the spray. No real distinction.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Polo Red Intense is a really great fragrance. I liked the original Polo Red and then this came along, and improved upon every aspect of it. It has a lot of personality and great complexity.

The dry down period features sweet fruit, smooth leather/coffee, warm amber, and lavender. It’s got very good performance and is a solid scent overall. I recommend it, completely.

Update: I’m not into Red Intense as much now, then when it first came out. I would definitely go with Extreme over it now.

However, I think Polo Red Extreme, is a little better. It’s really simplistic with that blood orange/cranberry opening, coffee, and ebony wood in the dry down.

Yes, you will have to love the blood orange and coffee mix to like this one, but it is damn good. The performance is really great and it’s smooth and warm profile is a joy to wear.

Extreme wins this round, not by a huge margin, but enough for the nod.

Winner: Extreme

Polo Red Extreme vs Polo Blue Comparison

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For this entry into the men’s fragrance comparisons, I am going to be taking a closer look at two scents from the Ralph Lauren line up: Polo Red Extreme vs. Polo Blue EDT. I will break down each by different categories and deciding factors to determine, which one smells better? Which lasts longer? Ultimately, which men’s cologne is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Polo Blue

Notes include: amber, melon, patchouli, geranium, cucumber, tangerine, moss, musk

Click here to try: Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Polo Red Extreme

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

Click here to try: Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounce, Ralph Lauren Men

Read my review: Polo Red Extreme

Opening

Polo Blue opens with melon and cucumber notes, giving it a cool, familiar, and crisp aroma. There is a constant aquatic note, at the heart of the fragrance, with tangerine and amber adding a bit more to the composition. It smells nice and has a rather simple aroma.

Red Extreme is also pretty simple, in its presentation. You get a big burst of blood orange and coffee notes. It’s simple, but is actually quite unique versus most of what you’ll get on the market. There is also a hint of that tart cranberry, which is found in the original Polo Red.

Which is better? Polo Blue is pleasant, but I prefer the opening of Red Extreme. That blood orange and coffee combination is just great, it does its own thing, while staying somewhat true to the original.

Edge: Red Extreme

Projection

The sillage of Polo Blue is pretty solid throughout, but not a bold fragrance. It is more of a moderate, that will get noticed close by, but not take over a room. It’s also an EDT, so the power is going to be less than the EDP, Red Extreme.

Extreme is quite strong and stays that way throughout. It’s probably not as ‘extreme’ as the name would suggest, but it has no problems projecting.

Edge: Red Extreme

Longevity

Polo Blue is a good performer overall. I have always gotten 7-8 hours of wear, on my skin, while wearing that cologne. However, it again falls short of the performance of Red Extreme. That fragrance will go 8-10 hours of wear.

Edge: Red Extreme

Versatility

In terms of occasion, they are pretty equal as to when they can be worn. However, in terms of climate, I think that Polo Blue has the advantage. It can be worn year round and will hold up way better in the heat, than Extreme.

Extreme can go into moderate temperatures, but is not a summertime scent. The Red is much more limited with its wearable opportunities.

Edge: Blue

Overall Scent

Polo Blue EDT is a nice scent. It’s never amazed me, as it’s pretty basic, and there are lots of similar scents. To me, I like the aquatic elements and the hints of citrus within that. Price wise, I would probably get Eternity Aqua over Polo Blue, as it’s similar and usually cheaper nowadays.

It does have the advantage, in that, it can be worn pretty much anytime. That’s usually a big selling point with Blue.

Red Extreme is also quite linear but it smells better and has greater performance versus Polo Blue. The blood orange and coffee are really nice, and then, there is the ebony wood note which brings its own unique element to the cologne.

Not everyone is going to like the notes in this, but it is a better composition in my mind, versus Blue.

Winner: Red Extreme

Nautica Voyage vs Polo Blue Cologne Comparison

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In today’s cologne comparison entry, I want to take a closer look at two popular summertime aquatic fragrances for men, Nautica Voygae and Polo Blue. Now, Voyage is an insanely popular scent that can be had for really cheap and Polo Blue is a really nice release from the Ralph Lauren brand.  However, which one smells better? Which performs better? Which is worth the buy?

Tale of the Tape: Voyage vs. Polo Blue EDT

Polo Blue 

Notes include: amber, melon, patchouli, geranium, cucumber, tangerine, moss, musk

Click here to try: Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Nautica Voyage 

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, green leaf, amber, mimosa

NAUTICA-VOYAGE

Read my original review here

Try Nautica Voyage: Nautica Voyage By Nautica For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

Opening

Both of these are summery fragrances, however, Polo Blue opens up with a much more crisp and ‘colder’ scent than does Nautica Voyage. Blue is a fresh and clean use of cucumber and a suede note which gives it a bit of smoothness.

Nautica Voyage, on the other hand, has a fruitier opening that is really bright with an apple note that seems quite orange-y in its presentation. Voyage feels more synthetic than Polo Blue. Beyond that, it has a watery green aroma thanks to lotus flower, mimosa, and some musk.

Voyage is certainly the more unique of the two, but I still prefer the start of Blue EDT.

Edge: Blue

Projection

Both scents are pretty moderate, Voyage may be a bit lighter but not by much.

Edge: Push

Longevity

The good thing is that either one of these scents has good performance in terms of their longevity. Nautica Voyage gets me around 7 hours of wear. Blue can usually get an hour or two beyond that but both are good for work or school day wear.

Edge: Polo Blue

Versatility

Voyage and Blue are two casual scents for the warmer months of the year. I feel comfortable wearing them in any environment, really. Neither one is a club beast or really a romantic type of scent. Polo Blue might be considered to have a little more class but really not much distinction.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, overall, I find Polo Blue to be the better cologne. I think it smells quite nice BUT it does seem pretty generic at times to me. It is very cool and crisp with a nice melon note that develops after the initial opening.

For the price, type of scent, and the brand name, I think I’d rather wear Polo Sport, to be honest. Update: With subsequent Blue releases, I’d pick Deep Blue or Polo Blue EDP ahead of EDT.

The reason that Nautica Voyage is so popular is because of what it provides for the price. It is a great inexpensive scent that is fresh and smells like summer.

Polo Blue is the better scent of the two but price could persuade me to choose Voyage plus another fragrance instead.

Winner: Polo Blue

Polo Red Extreme vs Polo Black Comparison

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For this edition of the men’s fragrance comparisons, I am going to take a closer look at two scents offered from the Ralph Lauren line, Polo Black vs. Polo Red Extreme. Which of these colognes is the better buy? Which has better longevity? Which just smells better overall? I have reviewed each already and will now break the head to head match up, in different categories.

Tale of the Tape: Polo Black vs. Red Extreme

Polo Black Tale of the Tape

Notes include:  mango, sandalwood, tonka bean, tangerine, sage, lemon, patchouli

Click here to try: Polo Black by Ralph Lauren for Men – 4.2 Ounce EDT Spray

My review: Polo Black Review

Polo Red Extreme

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

Click here to try: Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounce, Ralph Lauren Men

Read my review: Polo Red Extreme

Opening

Polo Black opens up with an icy mango note to go along with patchouli and sage. It has a juicy fruit note at the top, with warm spice underneath. It’s a great little balancing act, of sweet and spice, and there are other citrus notes sitting at the top, also.

Polo Red Extreme starts off with a bold blood orange note and coffee. The blood orange is juicy and sweet, to go along with the warm smell of coffee beans. It’s simple and there is a bit of cranberry, which is found in the original Polo Red.

Which is better? I really like Polo Red Extreme, but to me, the opening of Polo Black is one of its strengths. It is more balanced and the mango/citrus notes are really great in the composition.

Edge: Polo Black

Projection

The sillage of Polo Black is fairly moderate. It is pretty good for the first few hours and then weakens somewhat. Red Extreme has a strong sillage, not super powerful, but it is definitely stronger and projects itself further than does Black.

Edge: Red Extreme

Longevity

Polo Black, is once again pretty good, as it will last for 6-7 hours. With Red Extreme, I get 8-10 hours of wear, on my skin. It’s an easy win for Extreme.

Edge: Red Extreme

Versatility

Neither of these scents, holds up great on the hottest days of the year. However, Polo Black probably does a better job in warmer weather. Both are great for casual wear, can be worn in an office, or for a night out. I’d say that, Polo Black has a better versatility for climate though, and thus an edge.

Edge: Polo Black

Overall Scent

Polo Black has a great opening act of mango, citrus, and spice. I find this to be quite appealing and better than how Polo Red starts out. The dry down is nice, woody and has some tonka bean, but I think that it’s not as good during this period. Beyond that, the sillage is average, and the longevity is too.

Red Extreme is really straightforward with that bold orange opening, with coffee, and tart cranberry. It features an ebony wood note, at the base, but most of what you get is the orange and coffee. I think that it is a bold and dynamic scent, with great performance, and a really good sillage.

Between them, I think that Red Extreme is better overall. The nod could have gone to Black, if it maintained its opening act, and could at least be in the ballpark of Extreme in terms of performance. It doesn’t though, so, I give the win to Red Extreme.

Winner: Red Extreme

Polo Red Extreme by Ralph Lauren

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So, here we are for yet another cologne review from the Polo line of scents. While, I enjoy a lot of the fragrances from this brand, my biggest complaint is how many of them have mediocre longevity…including a favorite of mine, Polo Red.

Now for this third incarnation of the ‘Red’ line of scents, Polo introduces us to Red Extreme here in 2017. In this review, I’m going to cover how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think it is worth a purchase. Update: This one is now discontinued.

What Does Polo Red Extreme Smell Like?

Notes include: blood orange, coffee, ebony wood

Click here to try: Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounce, Ralph Lauren Men

My Full Review

I was excited that a new Polo Red fragrance had come out and jumped at the chance to try it. I enjoyed both the original Red and Red Intense, even though they could both be lacking in the longevity department.

Now, there is overlap between all three of these fragrances but I’d say that Extreme is the most unique of the bunch. It also shares more qualities with Red Intense, than it does the original, due to the coffee note being prominent.

I have only been able to find out three of the notes in this cologne and they are of course the most noticeable. Coffee leads the way and it is tempered by a smooth and creamy feeling blood orange.

Red Extreme is like an amalgamation of other scents, I get, Polo Red Intense plus Rochas Man, and something else (Luna Rossa Sport? Maybe? It’s been so long, since I’ve smelled that). That being said Extreme seems familiar enough while being its own independent experience.

Side by side with the original Polo Red, I do think that this also might have a hint of the cranberry note, because there is a definite similarity.

Red Extreme does have that same fruity vibe but it is much darker, smokier, and bolder than the previous two colognes. Extreme is very energetic and sporty in a completely masculine way.

At times, the interactions between the ingredients can give Red Extreme, a sort of chocolate-like scent. The roasted coffee with the citrus juiciness of the orange, does give this one a gourmand chocolate candy aroma. I like it for still being sweet, but not nearly as tart, or spicy (versus Intense) as the other options from this Red lineup.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Longevity wise, finalllyyyyyy…they made a Red cologne with some really good longevity. Red Intense wasn’t bad, in this regard, but Red Extreme is bordering on excellent. This is an all day kind of wear but doesn’t hit the same length as something such as One Million.

In terms of projection, this stuff is fairly strong, and can be too much if you over spray but one or two spritzes should be enough.

The sillage is pretty potent in the early stages, though, it moderates much more as it wears on. Not a complete bomb, but it can be too invasive, at times.

I think Polo Red Extreme is quite a versatile cologne. I can imagine wearing this anywhere, as it wouldn’t feel too out of place at work or out on a date. I

want to say its geared more towards spring or winter but I do get a definite summer appeal with this one. Now, I cannot say if it will hold up well in the heat, but it seems like it could.

Update: As far as wearing Red Extreme in the heat, I’d probably skip it. Maybe on a summer’s evening or if only in an air conditioned building. Outside of that, I don’t really like its development in the humidity and high temperatures. It’s not the worst, but humidity is a killer.

Overall Impressions of Polo Red Extreme

Overall, would I say Red Extreme is a buy? Yes, I am digging it. If you were a fan of the previous Polo Red scents, you’ll probably be into this one as well. If you don’t like sweet or coffee scents, then, probably avoid this cologne.

I think that Ralph Lauren finally nailed this concept and produced a versatile cologne with good performance. It’s not the most amazing scent ever created, but I think it is very appealing.

The structure is all very simple. However, it shines within the confines of that simplicity. It gives you enough development, a really nice scent, and pretty high end performance. For guys in their 20-30s, who want a sweeter wear for the winter months, this is a very good pickup.

Update: Since it’s been discontinued, this one is getting increasingly expensive on the secondary market. I wouldn’t reach too high in price for a bottle, but Extreme is worth getting.