Nautica Voyage vs Cool Water by Davidoff

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For this edition of the cologne match ups, we have two sent that dominate sales, in the inexpensive part of the market: Nautica Voyage vs. Cool Water by Davidoff. Which of these popular men’s fragrances smells the best? Has better longevity? Sillage? Versatility?

Tale of the Tape: Voyage vs. Cool Water

Nautica Voyage

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, lotus, amber, mimosa, and oak moss

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 oz

Read my original review: Nautica Voyage Review

Cool Water

Notes include: lavender, mint, tobacco, amber, musk, jasmine, sandalwood, neroli, coriander, rosemary, and more

Click here to try: Davidoff Cool Water Edt Spray for Men, 6.7 oz

Read my Review: Cool Water

Opening

Nautica Voyage has a watery opening that is crisp and has a chilled feeling. It starts out with apple, mimosa, and musk. It is green, a bit musky, with a floral kick. It’s not my favorite part of the wear, but does a decent job at introducing this cologne.

I enjoy the juicy fruit and the colder aspects of it, much more than the mimosa floral. It’s not my favorite flora, but it works fairly well in Voyage.

Cool Water is an aquatic scented fragrance from the start and these marine notes are initially joined by mint and tobacco. It is sharp and has a green quality as well, from the uncured tobacco, before white floral notes join those at the top. It then becomes somewhat soapy.

By the name, you would expect much more of an aquatic sort of cologne, but it really only sways that way in the beginning. And even the, it is tempered.

Which is better? I prefer Cool Water, even though, I’m not crazy about it. I like the mint, tobacco, and aquatic notes…not so much the soapy scent. However, Voyage doesn’t start out great, in my opinion. It’s the mimosa and musk combo is a bit much.

The opening act really isn’t the strong suit of either fragrance.

Edge: Cool Water

Projection

Nowadays, I think that these two colognes are pretty similar in terms of sillage. They both hit that moderate chord, pretty well. If we’re talking vintage Cool Water, it’d have the advantage. None exists now.

Either way, neither of these are going to be complete bombs. However, you will notice that you have them on throughout the day, as they aren’t completely weak.

They aren’t going to leave huge scent trails behind you or just leap up off of the skin either. But, they’re nice for what they are.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, reformulation hinders the newer bottles of Cool Water somewhat. It used to be good for over 8 hours, but now seems to go 6-7, on my skin. Voyage will do 5-7. No real advantage in terms of how long it can go, but maybe Cool Water has better consistency.

Voyage is very consistent in that 5-7 hour range. I’ve never gotten any more from it. Really depends on the day, but it is good for at least those 5.

The performance is at least good enough from both, to keep them in the value play category of scents. I’ll give this category to the Davidoff.

Edge: Cool Water (slightly)

Versatility

Voyage has solid versatility. It can go casual and even some work environments. Mostly a spring/summer wear, but you could technically wear it year round.

The same is true for Cool Water, its probably a more mature fragrance, and better for the office or daily wear. Neither is particularly a ‘sexy’ scent, nor a club wear. Cool Water has more of a sense of refinement, versus the more casual Nautica.

Edge: Cool Water (slightly)

Overall Scent

I’m not a huge fan of either or these colognes, I like both, but they’re not something that I wear all of the time. I like the dry down period of Voyage a lot, that’s much better than how it opens. Much smoother, with some oak moss and lotus added.

Cool Water has a nice opening with the mint. I’m not all that into the soapy smell, but when its woody notes hit, I get back into the fragrance.

Which of these two is better? I’d lean Cool Water, I think it has more depth, and has a better smell throughout the wear. Neither is perfect, but both are really good cheapies.

For younger guys, I’d probably go with Voyage. If you’re older, Cool Water would probably fit better. It’s not that much better, but the Davidoff wins here. Vintage bottles, would have more of an edge, but you have to go out of your way to find those around.

Winner: Cool Water

9 Best Smelling Mint Scented Colognes

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Mint is ubiquitous in foods, gums, fresheners, and the like. Whether you’re talking about peppermint or spearmint, everyone knows the smell, and it isn’t a difficult ingredient to parse out. In colognes, it isn’t used all the time, and is even more rarely the star of the show. But, there are some really good ones. Here is a review list of some of the top selections for men’s fragrances with a prominent mint note.

What are the Best Smelling Mint Colognes for Men?

Boozy Mint Fragrance

Guerlain Homme Eau De Parfum Spray for Men, 2.7 Ounce
The mint note in this one is a part of the mojito accord which gives it a fresh and boozy type of scent with a woodsy background. I wear this one on a pretty regular basis.

This one opens up with a strong blend of mint and lime, with the rum note hanging around in the background. The lime and mint are about equal at first, but the mint gains strength, as the wear moves along. It’s also got a sweet sugar note.

During the dry down, the mint is flanked by cedar and vetiver. It becomes woodier and much drier of a cologne. It’s not super heavy and will give you 7-8 hours of performance. My Guerlain Review

Best Smelling Mint

Kryptomint– Kryptomint is a great one, if you’re in the market for a gourmand mint fragrance with plenty of warmth. You get coffee, chocolate, and tonka bean. Pair that with mint and patchouli, giving this Thierry Mugler scent a distinct and delightful vibe.

The greatest part is, that Kryptomint, settles into its warmer state. The opening act is as cold as ice, with a brilliant use of mint. Super fresh and sweet with really nice performance.

Now, Kryptomint isn’t the best fragrance out there. It is getting the nod, as the best mint cologne, in my mind. If I wanted a mint based cologne it would be either this or Guerlain Homme.

Fresh Mint and Lavender

Prada Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– I don’t usually care for bitter orange notes like in Terre d’Hermes (which I hate), but it quite simply works in Luna Rossa, and is by no means overpowering.

Plus, the citrus is only the main attraction at first. Then, there is an emergence of mint and lavender. What a great little scent. It is a bright citrus aroma with a cool demeanor thanks to the spearmint and calming lavender note.

The dry down does have a slight powdery/soapy feel, but it isn’t that much, and way less than what is in some of the others. The spearmint here, is utterly perfect.  Luna Rossa Full Review

The Best Seller with Mint

Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Versace Eros is very rich and layered, which helps to produce a heavy, warm, and gourmand aroma. The mint lends to this by playing beautifully off of notes such as tonka bean.

In the newer bottles, I definitely get more of the lemon note, versus a blend of mint and lemon. However, this still gives a great bold aroma, with our target ingredient playing a large role.

No, Eros isn’t a pure mint fragrance, but it provides the cooling freshness against the other warmer/thick notes. Versace Eros Review

An Autumn Minty Cologne

BURBERRY for Men Eau de Toilette, 3.3 fl.oz– Burberry cologne is the titular house fragrance from this design company. It also happens to be one of my favorite to wear on this list. Burberry for Men isn’t as in your face as many other colognes on the market, but it allows it’s striking and refined aroma speak for itself.

It features a cool mint note, that provides that familiar fresh spice on top of a smooth sandalwood, and embedded within a warm amber. It is an interesting play between warmth and cold, throughout the wear.

This is all solidified by a smooth trio of sandalwood, lavender, and cedar. This forms the base of Burberry for Men and adds that woody masculine layer.

This has a more mature character and a moderate sillage. I’ve always felt that I could wear Burberry anywhere and it be an appropriate cologne for that occasion. It’s woody, fresh, and an intriguing fragrance that I always love catching a whiff of. My review 

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Aromatic Mint

Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male By Jean Paul Gaultier For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.
Warm, spicy, and vanilla. Le Male gets energized by the mint notes providing a fresh spice to its smooth fragrance.

Le Male is an absolute classic, at this point, and a fragrance that almost everyone has encountered. The mint and vanilla notes are so good together, with some added spices and the calming force of the lavender at the very heart.

The dry down, is more about the vanilla, but the mint hangs around the whole time. Plus, at the start, it really shines. This is an easy daily wear, with good performance, and suitable for younger guys. Le Male JPG Review

jean paul

Simple and Clean

Ralph Lauren Big Pony Green #3 Men By Ralph Lauren Eau de Toilette, 4.2-ounce
This is a soft and fresh and very straightforward fragrance by Ralph Lauren. The notes essentially consist of mint, ginger, bergamot, which gives #3 a green and spicy scent.

The interplay between the light ginger and mint is interesting. I am a big fan of ginger in colognes, though, it isn’t a huge factor in Big Pony #3. This scent has been discontinued, as it was a short-lived lineup.

However, if you can get a cheap bottle, this is a simple one worth checking out.

Classy Masculine Scent

Cartier Roadster 3.4 Fl. oz. Eau De Toilette Spray Men
Roadster is a fresh and prominent use of mint with some vetiver and vanilla to give it a smoother woodsy feel. However, the mint is the main attraction.

Roadster is a very ‘green’ type of fragrance, with mint as its main note. It’s got a smooth lightness from the vanilla note and the vetiver gives it a masculine quality.

Rather unique overall, but simple. The opening is the mint with a spritz of the bergamot citrus and vanilla sweetness hanging in the background. Top Cartier Fragrances

roadster

Another Guerlain Option

L’homme Ideal Cool by Guerlain– This one is a blend and it’s harder to find nowadays. But, this is a great fragrance with a large dose of mint in there.

Ideal Cool gives you the usual citrus start, like the EDT, but adds on a fresher and greener profile than the other iterations from Guerlain.

The interesting part of the fragrance to me, is when the mint note interacts with the almond. Sounds a bit strange, but it simply works. The sillage here is pretty light, but the performance in terms of longevity is solid.

Gucci Guilty vs. Guilty Essence (Black) Cologne Comparison

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I’ve been going through and updating a lot of older posts for the past week or so, on this site. So, I thought it was time that I post something new, and why not start with a head to head cologne comparison?

In today’s match up, we have two entries from Gucci: Guilty Pour Homme vs. Guilty Black (edit: renamed to Essence). Which one of these fragrances from the Guilty line, smells the best? Which has better performance? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Gucci Guilty vs. Black

Gucci Guilty

Notes include: lemon, orange blossom, lavender, patchouli, cedar, pink pepper, neroli

Click here to try: Guilty By Gucci EDT spray for Men, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Gucci Guilty

Guilty Essence (Black)

Guilty Black Notes: green coriander, lavender, orange flower, neroli, patchouli, and cedar wood

Click here to try: Gucci Guilty Black Pour Homme Fragrance Collection 3.0-oz. Eau de Toilette

Read my full review: Guilty Black

Opening

Gucci Guilty starts off with lemon, pink pepper, and lavender. It’s light with a slight spice, plenty of warmth, and a smooth freshness. This is bolstered by the inclusion of a solid outdoorsy base provided by cedar wood and patchouli. Quite citrusy and clean.

The lemon is joined by the lavender and orange flower up top. But, the citrus has the edge over the floral notes in the composition.

Guilty Black, meanwhile, opens up without the same lemony-citrus aroma that the original has. Guilty Black is really well blended and it can be hard to pick out notes.

However, what I do mostly notice is coriander, lavender, and orange flower. It’s got a green masculine freshness with plenty of spicy/woody energy coursing through the heart of the fragrance.

Which do I like better? I actually like Guilty Black’s opening more than the original. Yes, I enjoy the lemon, lavender, and pink pepper aroma, in that one. Though, I don’t think it is as interesting or appealing as Black.

They do share an overlap, of course. Guilty Black just goes a little bit deeper with it and the coriander smells better in the composition.

Edge: Black

Projection

For the first few hours after application, Gucci Guilty has a fairly moderate sillage. Thereafter, it becomes more of a light and airy cologne. Not a beast at all. In fact, it’s kind of disappointing how much it lack that steady power.

Guilty Black doesn’t have huge sillage either, but it is stronger and more consistent during the wear. I always experienced very solid projection with Guilty Black.

Nonetheless, don’t expect to leave behind a huge scent trail, with either of these fragrances. Though, I do notice that one is slightly superior to the other.

Edge: Black

Longevity

Guilty only lasts 5-6 hours on my skin. With Guilty Black, I could get over 10 hours of good wear from it, on my skin.

Those were the older bottles, from around the time of its release, and I don’t know if it was reformulated. But, from my experience with each, Guilty Black lasts way longer.

The original Guilty just never had great performance for me. It would be noticeable for a while and then gone within that six hour span.

Even, if Essence has undergone a reformulation, it’s probably still at the very least on equal footing…but probably better.

Update: Trying Essence again, it’s in the 7-9 hour range. Maybe a slight step back, but still better.

Edge: Black

Versatility

These scents pretty much cover the same territory, as to when they can and should be worn. Both are pretty much year round wears, that can go casual or more dressed up. Both are quite attractive colognes.

They are going to be mostly worn by men in their 20s through early 30s. No real edge here. There’s too much overlap.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I have always found the original Gucci Guilty to be a nice fragrance, but one that is pretty simple, and never wowed me. The main trio of lavender, lemon, and pink pepper are pleasant to smell, and I like the undertones of woody and floral notes.

It’s not a terrible scent, just doesn’t strike me as amazing. I think that the concept was a solid one to build off of and there have been some better flankers, like Black.

Guilty Black, on the other hand, was always super enjoyable for me to wear from the start. To me, it’s not even a contest between these two colognes, and the real tough decision would be between Guilty Black and Guilty Intense. I’m pretty sure I’d go with Intense, in most cases.

But, since that has been discontinued as of this update, Black is a great choice.

Gucci Guilty Black is great to wear and has a certain sexiness to it. It outperforms the original and really just is a better scent all around. This is one of those cases in which the flanker fragrance outdoes the first of the series.

Winner: Gucci Guilty Black

7 Best Smelling Donna Karan DKNY Perfumes

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Donna Karan became a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world during the 1980s. Towards the end of the decade, she introduced the DKNY brand which provided a more affordable fashion and accessories line to the masses. Among the fashion houses many achievements are the lineup of fragrances for women.

The seven perfumes listed below are among the very best by Donna Karan and as always I have linked them out to where they can be purchased at a good price online.

What are the Best Donna Karan DKNY Perfumes for Women?

Most Popular DKNY

Dkny Be Delicious By Donna Karan For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounce Bottle– This Donna Karan perfume is a very enjoyable sensory experience. It has a rich fruity and floral profile that gives off a playful and seductive energy throughout the day.

Be Delicious opens up with its dominant apple note, along with, grapefruit and cucumber.

It is fresh, cool, and crisp from the start. The dry down is less tart and juicy, with the floral notes and some sandalwood coming through. Easy to wear and pleasant all around. Notes include: apple, violet, grapefruit, cucumber and more.

Light and Energetic for Summer

Donna Karan Nectar Love Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Nectar Love gives you a different sort of wear for the summertime.

Yes, you get the usual fruitiness for much of the development, particularly in the opening. However, you also get a bright and upbeat aroma full of honey and beeswax.

This one is very sweet, but also very light and playful. This is an easy to wear perfume that won’t overpower but will have one feeling attractive during the day or the evening. Nectarine with citrus, with a variety of delicate floral touches, throughout.

A Lighter Apple Floral

Be Delicious Fresh Blossom– This Be Delicious flanker is a simple one, but a perfume that is easy to wear and can be a great low key daily wear scent. Won’t provide a huge sillage.

The apple is more crisp and sheer in this one, with a delightful grapefruit note coming in as support. Cassis and apricot round out the fruity lineup. Fresh Blossom is closer to the original in terms of how it smells.

However, it does separate itself with more of a jasmine and rose influence in the dry down. Plus, the whole citrus element up top. It’s a spring and summer wear, Fresh Blossom does seem to have a bit of a aquatic aroma to it, but not overwhelming.

Vanilla, Floral, and Amber

Cashmere Mist By Donna Karan For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounces– Cashmere Mist is a bit more understated and refined than is Be Delicious. It’s a great casual fragrance that is light and clean, with floral notes and a hint of vanilla.

Cashmere Mist EDP gives you a warm opening where the vanilla begins to waft through the composition. What’s noticeable, is the embrace of the amber note, with a smooth and familiar suede note.

Further along, it becomes a lighter floral with jasmine and lily, sitting among the musk. This is all on top of a base of sandalwood. Not too heavy of a fragrance, but one that is an excellent choice for a daily wear.

The Apple Alternative

Donna Karan Be Delicious Eau So Intense Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– A different take on the Be Delicious concept. This one has more of a spiciness to it while still remaining clean, warm, and feminine. Still has the apple and grapefruit notes along with rose, lily of the valley and sandalwood.

Eau So Intense opens with that same apple note, paired with a bit of grapefruit, and a floral accord led by magnolia. It’s fresh and not as sweet but has a somewhat sour scent, as the original, but with a bolder sillage and performance overall.

Still, this one dries down more moderate, than intense. The apple is the star but violet, magnolia, and lily help to mix things up and give it appeal.

Best Newer Perfume

Be Extra Delicious– Be Extra Delicious is a nice change of pace, while still sticking to the theme of the line. With this perfume, you’ll be getting more pear than apple. Fresh, sugary, with a slight watery element provided by the freesia note.

The apple note smells like its still there, but it’s more of a general fruitiness joined by caramel and the aforementioned pear note. It’s upbeat and sparkling with a warm gourmand heart.

Gardenia and freesia give this one its floral touches. However, it is much more about the fruit notes and caramel. Definitely a sweet one, dessert quality, if that’s your thing.

Herbal Verbena and Peony

Donna Karan pureDKNY Verbena, 100ml/3.4 oz.– Not an overwhelming scent, rather, a citrus blend that is subtle and memorable. A good addition for the late spring and summer months.

Lemon verbena is the star of the show, giving you that gorgeous citrus aroma, that so often gets paired with other floral notes. Here it is going to be peony, mainly. However, pureDKNY Verbena, has a very interesting addition of seaweed as an ingredient.

This sits underneath to provide the perfume with an intriguing scent, but the basil comes into to play off the verbena. Greenish herbal spice. This one is really fresh and gives women a rather unique option, while still maintaining a sense that it’s been done before.

Bleu de Chanel EDP vs. Creed Aventus

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Bleu de Chanel and Aventus are two names in the men’s fragrance space, that command respect, and are best sellers. Often times, they can be the last two scents that men are considering to purchase. The question is, which is better? Which lasts longer?

Obviously, there are multiple editions of the Chanel scent, so in this post, I will use Bleu EDP. Why? To me, it is the best of the bunch, and a worthy competitor to Creed Aventus. As usual, I will break down each by category, before declaring an ultimate winner.

Tale of the Tape: Bleu EDP vs. Aventus

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

My original Review: Creed Aventus

Bleu de Chanel EDP

Notes include: grapefruit, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, tonka bean, ginger, mint, and more

Click here to try: Bleu De Chaneⅼ Eau De Parfum Pour Homme Spray 1.7 Fl. OZ. / 50ML.

Read my Review: Bleu de Chanel EDP

Opening

Bleu de Chanel EDP opens with a stronger grapefruit blend that includes lemon. These citrus notes are joined by the fresh spice of pink pepper, mint, and ginger.

This adds an interesting dynamic to the fruity start. A bit later, you get warmth and smokiness from incense and amber. It’s very nice, changing, and with enough depth to make it more than just another citrus fragrance.

Meanwhile, Creed Aventus begins with a sharper mix of bergamot, black currant and pineapple. This is met with the dry smokiness of birch wood. It’s pretty intense and has the effect of a cleaner.

The dry down is better, when you get the jasmine, vanilla, and other woodsy touches coming to the forefront.

Which is better? To me, the better opening is no doubt from the Chanel fragrance. I’ve never been a fan of the way Aventus starts, but it does get better.

However, in the early stages, I love the bright citrus smell of Bleu EDP, the ginger and mint, with the eventual depth that the amber provides.

Edge: Bleu 

Projection

Both of these fragrances, start out with a strong sillage, but never hitting that elite status. They can both be over-sprayed, but on outside of that, they won’t choke out a room.

Though, Aventus holds its strength for longer than does Bleu. Bleu de Chanel isn’t weak, but the ability to project turns fairly moderate, after that initial burst. That sillage trail isn’t going to be that noticeable outside of the first hour.

Meanwhile, Aventus can indeed linger and project from the skin for a longer time.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

Bleu EDP lasts for right around 8 hours, consistently, on my skin. Aventus will go for 8-9 hours. Usually, they hit about the same, but the Creed does have a slight advantage on some occasions. The Parfum version of BdC is better, in this regard.

Aventus can go for 10 hours, depending on the batch. In my experience with it, very much in line with that 8-9 hour timeline, though.

Edge: Aventus

Versatility 

Both of these colognes are good year round, but aren’t great in the heat. The heat and humidity messes with the performance and overall scent of each. Outside of that, they are awesome.

Also, each is adept at being presentable both at the office, as well as nightlife. They are each attractive enough for date nights or other occasions. There isn’t much separation here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Either, Bleu de Chanel EDP or Creed Aventus, is a worthwhile fragrance. I will gladly wear both, depending on my mood. Which is better? There isn’t much of an edge, but I’ll try to break it down here.

First, Aventus, gets much better during the dry down versus the start. It’s citrus/woody/smoky/smooth. This fragrance really does have a depth and development, that you don’t find in many scents.

It’s a perfect mix between dry and fresh, citrus and woods. The performance is really good and the whole experience is a pleasure. I really enjoy when I get those vanilla moments wafting up from the base.

However, I think that Bleu de Chanel EDP, is the better fragrance. I enjoy the opening more, but also the entire wear. You get the great citrus freshness of the original EDT version, with a warmth, smoothness, and spice that give the cologne such a personality.

Aside from that, the price point, is significantly less than Aventus. I have no desire to pay that much for a fragrance, when I can get something better, for cheaper (though, it is also pricy). Although, you could get something else that smells like Creed Aventus or an attempted ‘dupe’ of Bleu de Chanel, for that matter.

If pressed, I will choose to wear Bleu, a majority of the time. I do think that both, are quite exquisite scents, but I’ll pick the Chanel.

Winner: Bleu