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Most of us grew up with the smell of baby powder being around. It’s probably one of our earliest sensory memories, at least from an aroma standpoint. That clean and fresh smell, the white talcum powder, and just a pleasant memory of our youth. To this day, I still enjoy the scent.

As such, I like to throw on some cologne from time to time, which brings back those memories without the actual white powder mess. In this post, I am going to give you five different options, that will deliver the baby powder freshness in a perfume form.

What Men’s Fragrances Smell Like Baby/Talcum Powder?

Designer Powder

Prada L’homme Prada L’eau for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– This isn’t my favorite of the Prada L’Homme line (that’d be Intense), but it is the one with most powdery aroma. It is lead by iris and neroli with woody notes at the top.

L’eau is an airy sort of fragrance, but actually hangs around quite well. Later, I pick up the light spice of the ginger note. This isn’t a full on baby powder smell, but it is close, and has enough of a masculine edge to separate itself. L’Homme L’Eau Review.

Greenish Rose

BURBERRY Brit Eau De Toilette for Him– Brit takes the talcum powder smell and adds spice and the scent of roses to it. This men’s fragrances is super fresh and green. It opens with ginger, nutmeg, and a great tonka bean note.

Along with that, is a light mandarin orange note, which adds a dash of citrus to the composition. As it dries down, Brit, really starts to take on the powdery quality. The rose and cedar combine with the tonka bean, and dominate the composition.

You do still have the ginger and nutmeg spices underneath. I really like wearing this one, as you do get that powdery scent, but delivered in a unique way. The sillage is moderate and I tend to get 8 hours of wear from this perfume. Burberry Brit Review

Clean Ginger Baby Powder

Bvlgari BLV By Bvlgari For Men Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz– This one also has a ginger spice, but it Blv has a warmer profile with a great cardamom note, and then the awesome smell of juniper berries.

Beyond that you get teak wood and tobacco flower, but all of the notes sort of blend to create, a really clean baby powder aroma. What’s great is that this Bvlgari cologne, isn’t a heavy one, and is still enjoyable to wear when the temperatures are high. Bvlgari Blv Review

Citrus and Iris Powder

Baby Blue Jeans By Gianni Versace For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.6 Ounces– Baby Blue Jeans isn’t as good as the original Blue Jeans, but it is still a very good option for the baby or talcum powder segment. 

This Versace scent starts out with some powerful citrus notes, mostly consisting of lime, and finishes with the inclusion of iris and sandalwood. The lime is the main attraction here and has a tart aroma to it, but the powder really ratchets up a few hours in with the iris note.

Baby Blue Jeans isn’t a ‘pure’ baby powder fragrance, the whole way through, but it does offer a nice change of pace from the rest of the list.

Classic Style

Royal Copenhagen By Royal Copenhagen For Men. Cologne Spray 3.4 oz– Royal Copenhagen is a fragrance that has been around for a long time and definitely brings that old school sort of feel.

It is a powdery fragrance, but also has a solid amount of musk, and a calming lavender note to boot. Royal Copenhagen is quite clean, with a definite masculine air about it. This feels very refined and grown up, all at a really nice price point.

Other than that, I really like how the tobacco note floats in and out of a major position within the smell, and it also has a prominent rose note, much like Burberry Brit.

Giorgio Armani has put out a lot of insanely popular men’s fragrances, over the year. Among the best of them, have been the Code series. Armani Code was the original and made a huge impact, on the fragrance world, 10-15 years ago. Since then, a whole host of flanker fragrances have been released under the Code banner, including 2018’s Code Absolu. Which one smells better, though? Which has the better performance? Which one is the best buy?

Tale of the Tape: Code vs. Absolu

Armani Code

Notes include: citrus, lavender, apple, leather, tobacco, star anise, woods

Click here to try: Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.

Read my review: Armani Code

Code Absolu

Notes include: vanilla, tonka bean, suede, nutmeg, rum accord, mandarin, apple, orange blossom, wood, and carrot seeds

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Code Absolu EDP Eau de Parfum For Men 3.7oz

Read my review: Code Absolu

Opening

The original Code opens up with some fruity top notes, consisting of citrus and some apple. The citrus is the main attraction, but quickly joined by tobacco, star anise, and leather. It is freshly spiced with a powdery quality. Yet, with that nice citrus touch, which will grow weaker during the latter stages.

Code Absolu opens up with a spiciness provided by nutmeg and rum. These two notes are smoothed out by suede and tonka bean. This also has some citrus, at the top, from mandarin orange. Plus, the same apple note. Nutmeg and tonka bean are the strongest at the start, before the suede starts coming in more.

Which is better? I have to say, that I enjoy Code Absolu, more than the original. It starts off with a better spiciness, the sweetness and smooth suede is also better. It feels like it has more depth and a darker quality.

Edge: Code Absolu

Projection

The sillage of the original Code is moderately strong, at the start. Then, it is pretty steady, in the moderate camp thereafter. Code Absolu, hits a stronger initial ability to project itself, and stays fairly strong (but not overwhelming) throughout. It’s got the better projecting ability.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

Code feels somewhat weaker than it used to and no longer stays around for the same amount of time. Older bottles, used to get around 8 hours. Now, it seems to be confined to the 5-6 hour range. Absolu will go way above 10 hours, on my skin, and blows the older bottles of the original out of the water.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

These two colognes, essentially occupy the same space, as you’d expect. Both are best worn when the temperatures are cooler and are great as nightlife scents. Yes, the both have an attractive and sexy scent. No clear winner, here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

The original Armani Code is a classic and still a best seller, to this day. It’s got a great scent. The citrus up front, with the spice, and the later leather/tonka bean notes are all very nice. However, reformulations happen, and it’s not exactly the same as it used to be. Still very good, but weaker and tweaked a bit.

Code Absolu is now the best of the Armani Code lineup. It’s slightly better than my previous favorite, Code Profumo. I also consider it to be, one of the best fragrances out there right now, for men.

It does everything right, from the smell, down to the performance. The vanilla and tonka bean, come to dominate the dry down, but the spice and the light citrus make this one beautiful to smell.

You can still pick up much cheaper bottles of the original, but without any consideration for price, Code Absolu takes this one.

Winner: Absolu

It’s not quite ‘officially’ summer just yet. Although, it has been hotter than Hades, where I live for over a month now. As such, I thought that I’d get back into doing some seasonal type of posts, and start things off with Creed.

Now, I’ve already done lists of the best overall men’s and women’s scents, from this designer; but let’s go ahead and narrow things down for the summer months, shall we? I have selected three perfumes from Creed’s lineup and presented them below in order of ‘best’.

What are the Best Creed Fragrances for Summer?

1. Creed Millesime Imperial Spray, 4.0 fl. oz.

Creed Imperial has a lemon and sea salt opening blend, which actually gives off a melon, sort of aroma. It is very fresh and salty, with the fruit ingredients being dominant throughout. However, as it moves along, more of the oceanic influence comes in, along with musk, and a light iris note.

This one is a great summer wear, as it just feels bright, dynamic, and like a day at the shore. The sillage isn’t heavy, but I’ve always gotten 7 hours of wear out of Imperial Millesime. This is my favorite one to wear in the warmer months. My original review.

2. Creed Silver Mountain Water Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce

Silver Mountain Water starts off with citrus notes of bergamot and mandarin orange. There is a black currant note in there, as well, but it becomes more noticeable later on to my nose.

Also later, the green tea note takes over, and this scent becomes a clean and green herbal fragrance with the citrus in the background.

The sillage isn’t super powerful with this one either, but you can overspray it pretty easily. Longevity was around 6 hours, on my skin. Silver Mountain Water Review

3. Creed Virgin Island Water Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Fl Ounce

Virgin Island Water is some folks favorite Creed wear, during the summer months. For me, it is the third best, as I’m not as high on it. VIW opens with a citrus and rum accord, the citrus being bergamot and lime. I really like that opening blast, as it feels like sitting on a beach, with a tropical drink in hand.

When the coconut comes in heavier, this one starts to take on more of a suntan lotion aroma. Plenty of people enjoy that, I think that it is just okay.

Virgin Island Water is built for the summertime, though, and for that it is an over nice choice for men or women. Virgin Island Water Review

So, those are my three choices for the best Creed perfume options for the summer. I know some people might expect Aventus to be on here, but I actually think that it performs at its worst, when it gets hot and humid out. I like that one a lot more in the autumn through springtime. These three options should yield an option for just about anyone looking to get into a Creed purchase.

In this head to head cologne comparison post, I am going to take a closer look at two of the more popular aquatic fragrances of the past few years: Acqua di Gio Absolu vs. Invictus Aqua. Which of these two scents smells the best? Which gives a better performance? The Paco Rabanne or the Armani?

Tale of the Tape: AdG Absolu vs. Invictus Aqua

Acqua di Gio Absolu

Notes include: patchouli, marine notes, labdanum, tonka bean, wood, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, apple, pear

Click here to try: Acqua di Giò Absolu Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 fl oz Men

Read my full review here: Acqua di Gio Absolu

Invictus Aqua EDT

Notes include: yuzu, pink pepper, guaiac wood, marine notes, violet leaf, ambergris, grapefruit

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Aqua Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Invictus Aqua

Opening

Invictus Aqua starts out with yuzu, grapefruit, and the marine notes. The start of Aqua is my favorite part of the fragrance, as I really like the inclusion of yuzu within the composition.

It’s quite an salty aquatic citrus cologne and then the pink pepper kicks in, which brings some added depth.

Aqua di Gio Absolu also starts out with grapefruit, but pairs it with bergamot, instead of yuzu. Absolu has a woody base, apple, tonka bean, and the same sort of sea note that does Aqua.

Which is better? I think I’ll give the edge to Absolu. They have similarities but I like the woody base and tonka bean in the Armani, a bit more than in Aqua.

Edge: Absolu

Projection

Absolu starts out pretty strong for about an hour and then shifts into something that is much more moderate. Aqua is a lighter fragance, but probably is defined as a moderate, it just doesn’t reach the same level as AdG Absolu does at the start.

Absolu is also an EDP, so, it should naturally be stronger…it is.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

While Absolu has the better sillage, Invictus Aqua actually lasts longer on my skin. I get about 8 hours from Absolu and Aqua can go over 8 hours and touch double digits. It has really good longevity for an aquatic.

It was actually surprising, that this version could match or excel past the other Invictus flankers.

Edge: Invictus Aqua

Versatility

These two colognes pretty much hit the same beats. Spring and summertime wears. They can go casual or to a party or even to work. They can also hold their own in the cooler months of the year. I don’t see an advantage here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Invictus Aqua has a really nice opening act. Beyond that, the performance is awesome, and it plays its role rather well. The dry down, however, brings out more of the violet leaf note and oud. It becomes woodier and ‘dirtier’, for lack of a better term.

Finally, it pretty much ends on my skin a pure sea water smell. I’m not too big of a fan of how it develops.

Meanwhile, Acqua di Gio Absolu has the citrus and marine notes, and then adds amber and wood to that. It also has an earthier smell, as it moves along, but it doesn’t get completely overrun like I feel Aqua does. Absolu also just has a better aroma, is better blended, and smells more expensive.

In the Acqua di Gio lineup, I actually prefer AdG Profumo, to Absolu. Though, between the two in this head to head, I’m going with AdG Absolu. If price is a serious consideration, then, Invictus Aqua isn’t a bad choice at all. You can usually pull bottles of that for cheaper than Absolu.

Winner: Absolu