Ralph Lauren

Polo Black vs Polo Double Black Cologne Comparison

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For this fragrance comparison, I want to take a closer look at two scents from the house of Ralph Lauren, Polo Black and its flanker Double Black. It is interesting that with a name like Black, that the original of the two was much more of a fruity fragrance than anything dark. Double Black retained a piece of Polo Black but took things in a different direction.

Now, which one smells better? Which performs better? When should they be worn? Continue below for the complete analysis.

Polo Black vs. Double Black

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 Double Black Tale of the Tape

Notes include: coffee, mango, juniper berry, nutmeg, cardamom, pepper, woods

Polo Double Black

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

Read my Polo Double Black Review

Opening

From the opening smell, it becomes clear that while these two colognes are related, they provide completely distinct experiences from one another. Polo Black is noticeably fruity from the start.

Now, this isn’t a very sweet type of fruity smell (think dried fruit pieces), the mango note is prominent from the get go but it does have a spicier profile at the start.

Double Black also contains the mango note, though, it is a background player and from the start it is a spicy/smooth blend of pepper and coffee. Polo Black also has citrus notes which gives it that extra bit of something, that sets it apart at the opening.

Edge: Black (slightly)

Projection

Both of these scents are moderate and while they do a decent job of projecting at the start, it isn’t a sustained output throughout the wear. I think due to the blend of the tonka bean, coffee, and pepper, that Double Black might have a slight edge in this respect.

At least that’s the case for the first hour or two. If Double Black doesn’t last on your skin, Polo Black will sustain for longer. At the peak? Double Black.

Edge: Double Black

Longevity

With a name like Double Black, you’d think that this fragrance would be all about longevity. It’s not. I tend to get 4-5 hours of wear out of Double Black, which is disappointing.

I really expected more from Double Black. The name makes you think that it’s going to be something much stronger and longer lasting. Nope. Not a lot of longevity, even with its bolder opening act.

Polo Black is usually better in this regard. Sometimes, it will drop off at 5 hours, but it will go further in most cases. Maybe 6-7.

Edge: Black (slightly)

Versatility

Both scents are safe and very nice choices for casual wear. I think the difference comes into the seasonal use of each. Double Black is well suited for fall/winter type of wear.

Meanwhile, Polo Black is almost like a year round scent, in that, it performs quite nicely in each…including the warmth of summer.

Edge: Black

Overall Scent

I really warmed up to Double Black more and more, as I got through my sample of it. I’m a fan of tonka bean scents and this one also has a gourmand edge with the coffee, a spice with pepper, and enough sweetness to fully round out the scent. I like wearing Double Black.

However, Polo Black is a little bit better smelling and my opinion and has enough of an edge performance wise to merit a victory.

Its fruity notes are really unique and well done plus it has a woodsy heart, that helps it maintain a masculine vibe.

Neither one hits it completely out of the park. Though, Polo Black is a very good cologne. I wish the sillage and longevity was better, but it’s not terrible, and it smells very nice.

Update: Double Black has been discontinued for a while now. Not a big loss, even if it could’ve been really nice with some weight behind it. So, you’ll have to go with the still available Polo Black, unless you want to spend a ton of money for a not as good cologne.

Winner: Polo Black

Polo Red vs Polo Red Rush Comparison

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For this cologne comparison, I am going to take a closer look at two men’s fragrances from the Ralph Lauren lineup, Polo Red vs. Polo Red Rush. Which scent does it better? The original or one of its many follow up flankers. Which has the edge in performance? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Polo Red

Notes include: grapefruit, italian lemon, cranberry, saffron, sage

Click here to try: POLO RED by Ralph Lauren, 4.2 Fl Oz

Read my full review: Polo Red

Polo Red Rush

Notes include: mandarin, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, saffron, orange flower, spearmint, red apple, lavender, red coffee, cedar, musk

Click here to try: Polo Red Rush by Ralph Lauren EDT Spray 4.2 Oz.

Read my review: Polo Red Rush

Opening

The opening of the original Polo Red is a whole lot of cranberry, citrus, and some saffron. It is very warm and hyper-sweet, the cranberry note is tart, but overall I find it intriguing and enjoyable when I’m in the mood for such a scent.

It can hit the nose pretty hard, but it’s a nice experience to spray on when in the mood.

Rush opens in a similar manner, but instead takes grapefruit, mandarin, pineapple, and apple. This produces a similar sharp/tart opening to how Polo Red does it. After 10 minutes or so, Rush comes into its own with spearmint, and musk. It becomes much more of a greenish scent and less like the original.

Which is better? I think Red does a better job with the fruity opening and Rush seems like a simple imitation, that doesn’t quite hit the same note. I do like Rush, when the mint comes into play more, but I still enjoy the original more.

Edge: Red

Projection

Polo Red has always started out strong for me and then faded into something that is light to moderate, staying power was never its forte, but the sillage did have a big opening.

Red Rush is of similar strength ultimately to that of Red, but I think that the original starts off stronger, and that peak is never really matched by Rush.

Edge: Red

Longevity

Neither of these scents has great longevity. Depending on how much I apply, I can get 4-6 hours from Red. Rush gets about six hours also. There doesn’t seem to be a clear edge in this category. I usually have to spray more of either, to get fairly basic

Edge: Push

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these colognes can be worn pretty much any time, but I like them in the spring/summer mostly. Both are mostly casual fragrances, that can be worn at work, or formally. Neither is super ‘sexy’ but both are pleasant and attractive. They serve the same role essentially, not surprising considering they share a name.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

To me, I still think that the original Polo Red is better than this particular flanker. I appreciate that Red Rush added some new things to the Red name, but it also shares many similarities with the original, and doesn’t exactly improve on any of them.

I’m not too sure of its purpose. Red Rush is enjoyable to some extent, but doesn’t do anything all that well.

The original Polo Red, while it has so-so performance, does feature a unique cranberry note that isn’t found in too many men’s fragrances.

I do think that the other Red flanker fragrances improved upon the original, but Rush is a step backwards and doesn’t offer much that is worthwhile for the price. Maybe by now, it has been put on clearance at some stores. If it’s super cheap, I wouldn’t be opposed, but I’d still pick the original.

Winner: Polo Red

Polo Red Intense vs Polo Red Cologne Comparison

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All right, it’s finally time for my comparison between Polo Red and its flanker fragrance, Polo Red Intense. I’ve been wanting to do this post for a long while and now have gotten around to giving both a fair shake. In this post, I am going to present how each fragrance smells, how it performs, and which one is the better option between them. Has Polo Ralph Lauren outdone the original Red?

Polo Red Intense vs. Red: Which is better?

Polo Red Tale of the Tape

rp_polo-red-300x259.jpg

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

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 Red Intense Tale of the Tape

 

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

Try Polo Red Intense: 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

Obviously, these scents are very similar to one another since we are comparing the original with the intense version. However, there are some noticeable differences from the start.

First, Red Intense does its job at first, by being more loud and having better projection than the original. Both scents share the sweet candy-like warmth of cranberry, citrus, and amber notes which I really enjoy.

Red Intense gives you a big dose of saffron, coffee, and some spices up top. This separates is a lot from the tart opening of Polo Red and its cranberry/lemon duo. Red Intense still does have that big sweetness, however, just different.

Red Intense also has a noticeable leather note and ginger which becomes more prominent as it wears on. I like the Intense version here, as it has taken something great, and made it darker and perhaps more interesting.

(Edit: Polo has released Polo Red Extreme, which I reviewed and gives you a third option..and possibly the best of the bunch)

Edge: Intense

Projection

Again, the Intense version wins (as it should), it does a much better job from the start projecting itself and not being on the weaker side of things like Polo Red.

I should note that while Polo Red Intense is heavier than the original, it isn’t really a beast itself. In fact, it loses some of it’s initial luster after 30-45 minutes.

Polo Red Intense does come out of the gate as powerful, but is more moderate, during the rest of the wear.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

This has always been my biggest qualm with Polo Red, its longevity. I love the smell but it can be such a short lived scent, which is really disappointing.

Polo Red Intense is better in this department but it hasn’t been an insane type of wear either. I’d say it’s in the upper moderate range but provides pretty solid wear.

With Red Intense I get about 7-9 hours of solid wear from it. Polo Red can be in the 4-7-ish hour range, depending on the day and climate. 

Edge: Intense

Versatility

Pretty much the same in terms of when you can wear it, where, etc. I might say, that Polo Red is more appropriate in low key scenarios, but its not a wide enough margin to make a real difference. 

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I’m a fan of the original Polo Red, I just hated it longevity issues. Polo Red Intense improves upon that while keeping mostly true to the original.

Intense is a darker and spicier cologne, with the ginger note providing a nice touch an hour or so in. Polo Red is a very sweet, warm cologne, with woody undertones while Intense amps the cranberry note up and then brings in ginger and a masculine leather.

All in all it’s very well done and sexy. I’ve got to give the ultimate nod to Polo Red Intense. Still, I’m not a huge fan of Intense, and the original Red has lost some of its luster for me over the years. My real pick is Red Extreme, but the other two are still both pretty good. 

Winner: Polo Red Intense

Best Smelling Men’s Colognes Under $50

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All right, so I’ve already done two installments of the best smelling fragrances for guys under $30. As such, I thought that I’d step it up to the next level of expensiveness, while still being affordable. So, in this post I’m going to focus on men’s colognes for under $50 BUT instead of rehashing the same cheap offerings, it’s going to be scents above 30 but below the 50 dollar cutoff. This range opens a whole new list of possible daily wear scents and one’s that are a bit more complex than the average cheapy cologne. I’m going to base this list off of the current Amazon prices, so, these scents may be more expensive elsewhere.

 

Top Fragrances Under 50 Bucks for Men

 

L’homme Yves Saint Laurent By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3-Ounces
Ginger is the big star of the Yves Saint Laurent fragrance. However, the tonka bean in the heart of the fragrance provides a smooth sweetness and helps to make this one a special fragrance that garners compliments.  L’Homme Review

l'homme

 

Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 Oz.
Very attractive scent that works well for going out for a night on the town. Has enjoyed mega popularity for a number of years. My review

armani_code

 

Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Tonka bean is one of the multitude of notes which makes Versace Eros tick along with mint, apple, and vanilla. It is extremely rich, complex, warm, and powerful. Great for the colder months. Eros Full Review

rp_versace-eros-300x3001-300x300.jpg

 

Hugo Boss Men’s Boss No. 6 Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 3.3 fl. oz.

A sweet and pleasant fragrance for casual wear with notes of apple and vanilla. Moderate longevity but a solid experience at this price point. My Boss No. 6 review

 

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Ounces

One of the best smelling colognes out of the house of Guerlain. This is a great buy for the price.

l'instant guerlain

 

 

Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce

I’m going to use Polo Blue as a stand in here to represent many Polo colognes that are available for under $50. It really depends what kind of scent you enjoy and Ralph Lauren probably makes something enjoyable in that style. Blue is a nice aquatic. Read my Review

blue


Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Acqua Di Gio is always a best seller. Smooth, masculine, citrus, refreshing. It gets worn a lot but for good reason. Read my full review

acqua

 

Versace Man Eau Fraiche By Gianni Versace For Men Edt Spray 3.4 Oz

Another Versace scent. Eau Fraiche shines in the summertime, with it’s frozen citrus scent, that projects well and lasts for a long time. Read my Eau Fraiche review

versace man eau

This is but a mere selection of the great scents available for men for under $50. The selections on the list will, however, fit a wide range of styles. Be sure to check out other options from these designers which will typically cost around the same amount.

Polo by Ralph Lauren Men’s Cologne Review

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I have already covered the best smelling men’s fragrances by Ralph Lauren and have done several reviews on this brand’s colognes. However, I have until now neglected to do a review of one of the originals which dates back to the late 1970s, Polo by Ralph Lauren. In this post, I want to take a closer look at this now classic men’s scent and determine how it performs, what it smells like, what notes it contains, when it should be worn, and if it is really worth a purchase at all. My Reviews of: Polo Red, Double Black, and Polo Blue. 

 

 

Notes include: basil, leather, tobacco, oakmoss, pine, cedar, and more.

polo

Click here to try:Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce

 

What strikes me about the opening of Polo is how dry and masculine it is. That isn’t a bad thing, this is classically masculine, so don’t expect sweet fruits and floral notes like so many more modern examples. It’s an interesting mix of pine and leather notes which gives it a rich, grassy/green type of aroma, that feels quite complex and dark. I completely dig it as a change of pace from the norm.

After 20 minutes or so of that initial blast, Polo begins its transformation into more of a tobacco laden cologne with a distinct patchouli note poking through. This drydown phase is warm and smoky and still retains that dry woodsy element that makes the opening so intriguing.

Projection wise, Polo is a pretty heavy fragrance, so 1-2 sprays max. This one can fill a room if you’re not careful and it will take it from pleasant to overbearing. Longevity wise, this stuff is really damn good, 8+ hours for each use in my experience. I would stay away from wearing Polo in the summer or on any warm day really, as it doesn’t hold up that well and seems out of place. However, during the fall and into the winter, this is when Polo really shines.

Overall, is Polo worth a purchase? This one is for the older set. Not that younger guys couldn’t pull it off in some cases, but I’d say, 30 and up is your best bet. So, yes, if you are in that age group and want something that a change of pace from the usual sweet type of fragrances, then Polo is a terrific choice which lasts a long time and performs great as a casual and everyday cologne.