Dior Homme vs Dior Homme Intense Cologne Comparison

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Yes, it’s time for another cologne comparison. Today’s head to head match up is between two Christian Dior scents: Homme and Homme Intense. Is the flanker Intense version better than the original? How does each hold up? Does one of these scents smell better than the other?

Tale of the Tape

Dior Homme

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my Full Review: Dior Homme Review

Dior Homme Intense

Notes include: pear, iris, vetiver, ambrette, lavender, cedar

Click here to try: Christian Dior Dior Men Intense Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read My Full Review: Dior Homme Intense Review

Opening

The opening of Dior Homme is more of a floral with the introduction of iris and an underlying sweetness provided by the cacao. It sets the stage for the magnificence, that is to come with this fragrance.

The note that stands out, up top is bergamot. This juicy citrus, pairs very well with the powdery iris, clean lavender, and sweet cacao. Not to mention the sage and dry vetiver.

Homme Intense has an amazing opening act. I absolutely love it. It’s warm and woody with the cedar, vetiver, and amber joining forces to create an aroma that is absolutely divine, in my opinion. This is also paired with the same lavender, as Homme.

I really enjoy the smell of Dior Homme at the start, but I once again, love the way Homme Intense opens. Both are extremely good, but Intense takes it to another level.

Edge: Homme Intense

Projection

Dior Homme is a softer/moderate kind of scent. Obviously, Dior Intense was made to be stronger, as it’s in the name. So, Intense is the winner here because it is strong (but not overpowering).

I will however say that, if you double spray Dior Homme, you get much better sillage and longevity. Like two sprays to each side of my neck, worked wonders. This isn’t always the case with weaker colognes, because you can get fragrances that are so weak, that even tripling up doesn’t really help.

It still won’t be as strong as Homme Intense, but it gets close.

Edge: Homme Intense

Longevity

Homme Intense wins. It lasts all day. In the 9 to 11 hour range.

My full bottle of Dior Homme, with the large sprayer, can get me 8-9 hours of wear out of this cologne. Which is great because you can buy large bottles for under $100, so you don’t really have to conserve the sprays anymore.

Nonetheless, it doesn’t go quite as long as Intense.

Edge: Homme Intense

Versatility

Both of these scents are mature, refined, and work well in the colder weather. I could wear either one casually or for a night out. These are the kind of fragrances you dress up for while wearing.

Dior Homme is more versatile, due to the prominence of the floral notes, in its composition. This allows it to be worn further into the springtime and it holds up better in heat. Not extreme heat, but a nice warm day.

Edge: Dior Homme

Overall Scent

This is honestly a tough one. They are of course similar fragrances but they have enough differences to be distinct. I really do go back and forth between the two…and feel like I now need to purchase full bottles of both again.

However, I do seem to prefer Dior Homme overall when compared to Homme Intense. While the opening of Intense is better, it dries down into more of a chocolate powdery sort of aroma, that simply isn’t as pleasing to me as is the entire life cycle of Dior Homme.

Homme Intense gives better performance, though, that gap can mostly be closed by spraying a bit more Dior Homme. Dior Homme is so subtle, refined, and layered. It’s almost a perfect fragrance in my mind.

I love both of these scents and will gladly wear either one, based on my mood that day. Also, I’ll use both at the same time. In the end though, if I had to choose one, I’d pick Dior Homme.

Dior Homme is my main daily wear, on the off days, when I’m not doing reviews for the site. A lot of folks seem to prefer Intense, but I don’t think it’s a strong throughout, as Dior Homme is.

Winner: Dior Homme (slightly)

Valentino Uomo vs. Dior Homme

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Dior Homme has been a very successful fragrance over the past 15 years or so. Yes, it has now (as of 2020) undergone 3 iterations, under the name Dior Homme. In this post, I am going to be comparing the 2011 version, and not the newest release which is just coming to market.

Anyway, one very similar cologne series to the Dior line, is Valentino’s Uomo series. In this post, I want to compare Uomo vs. Dior Homme. Which smells better? Which lasts longer? Which is the best buy?

Tale of the Tape

Valentino Uomo

Notes include: myrtle, bergamot, leather, coffee, cedar, gianduja cream

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo FOR MEN by Valentino – 3.4 oz EDT Spray

My review: Uomo EDT

Dior Homme

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my Full Review: Dior Homme Review

Opening

Dior Homme opens up with its iris note, cacao, and a juicy bergamot. The bergamot is a really nice touch up top, to give it a different feel, from the rest of the wear. It is smooth and floral with some underlying dry elements of sage and vetiver.

Valentino Uomo starts of with gianduja cream, bergamot, and myrtle. Obviously, the floral and bergamot aspects, give a very similar impression as Dior Homme. However, the nutty gianduja blends insanely well with the citrus, and the result is an utterly divine smell.

Which is better? I love both. However, Uomo, has one of the best opening acts ever…to my nose, anyway. It’s so good, I cannot get enough of that first 30 minutes or so.

Edge: Uomo

Projection

The sillage of each, can start off pretty strong, but quickly venture into the moderate part of the spectrum. Neither is going to blow the doors off and I don’t particularly notice much of a difference.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Just about every time that I wear Valentino Uomo, I get 7 hours of wear. When I initially tested Dior Homme, it was a 5-7 hour fragrance. However, when I got my full bottle, it would hit 8-9.

Dior Homme has a bit better staying power. Not a crazy amount, but can reach for those extra two hours.

Edge: Dior

Versatility

These are both very versatile fragrances during the autumn through mid-spring (in most places). You can wear them formally, casually, on a date, or out into the nightlife.

Both are probably best worn by men in their mid-20s and up. These scents are so similar, that there really isn’t a distinction, in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Which of these two colognes is the better wear? This is indeed a tough call, because I will gladly wear either of them, without hesitation.

The strengths of Uomo are its great opening act. The hazelnut like smell, with coffee undertones, and bergamot is just so enjoyable. Add to that the floral notes, leathery smoothness, and woodsy base. The latter parts, are basically a close kin to Dior Homme, in every way.

Dior Homme is my personal go-to. It’s one of my daily wears, when I’m not testing out fragrances, for this site. Iris and leather are the pairing, that ultimately have the most influence. With cacao and lavender taking the secondary level.

Some guys don’t like the iris in Dior Homme, I personally really dig it in this composition, because the leather and woody base keep it masculine. If that’s not your thing, go with Uomo, as it doesn’t have that iris note.

Overall, I’m still riding with Dior Homme, most of the time. I think that it’s slightly better as a whole. If Uomo smelled like the opening act, during the entire wear…it’d be the winner. It doesn’t and most of the rest of it, is a less interesting rehash of Dior.

Winner: Dior Homme

Best Winter Colognes for Men 2019-2020

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The cold weather of winter has descended upon us in the Northern hemisphere, as the official start of the season, is mere days away. For some, the freezing temperatures and icy conditions, have already been around for months. While I personally dislike the coldest months of the year, the one redeeming quality about them, is the vast array of colognes there are to choose from. Yes, there are some men’s fragrances, which only get to shine for part of the year and they’re some of the best. In this post, I am going to cover my favorites, and what I consider to be the top winter scents.

 

What are the Best Smelling Winter Fragrances for Men in 2019-2020?

Tom Ford Private Blend Noir De Noir Eau De Parfum Spray Edp 3.4 Fl / 100 Ml– Noir de Noir from Tom Ford, kicks its life off with, a very nice and sweet rose note. This teams up with moss, patchouli, and oud. It has a darkness, spicy elements, a sweeter side, with a later delicious vanilla and truffle combination. The result is a wholly unique experience, that hangs beautifully, when its cold out. 

This is a fragrance that can hit you in many different ways and completely be a joy to wear. The truffle note, is great, and holds the entire thing together during the dry down along with vanilla. The oud sits at the heart, but doesn’t overwhelm the composition, and is so balanced it heightens the whole experience of wear.

This is generally a well-liked scent, with the sweet and dark dry down. It’s not too powerful, with its moderate sillage, but I get about 9 hours of wear from this one. The opening can be beasty, but it settles into something highly palatable.  Noir de Noir Review

 

Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Man in Black is a fragrance, that I’m personally excited, that I get to break out once again. Due to its spicy and boozy nature, this isn’t a cologne, that I always get the opportunity to wear. But during the winter? It’s a nighttime go to, in my rotation.

If you’re familiar with Spicebomb, this has quite a bit of similarity, with that fragrance. This is a rum soaked fragrance, with cinnamon, smooth leather, and a nice tonka bean touch. Add to that, tobacco plus oud, and you have yourself a highly masculine scent that gets noticed. Man in Black Full Review

 

Giorgio Armani Code Absolu Eau de Parfum Spray For Men (3.7 Ounce)- Code Absolu opens up with nutmeg, rum, suede, and tonka bean. There is also a hint of citrus and crisp apple, in the background. It sounds somewhat similar to Man in Black, above, but the two scents end up much differently. This one is much less boozy and spicy. 

The spice of the nutmeg is dominant for a few minutes, before the suede and tonka bean really take over. The fresh spice here is great, nutmeg and rum, are surprisingly great together. The fruit notes, are also just strong enough, to prevent it being a completely dark fragrance.

This one is fresh, warm, with a nice sweetness from vanilla and tonka bean. The projection is strong, but not absurdly so, and the longevity consistently hits 10+ hours, on my skin. Code Absolu Full Review

 

Parfums de Marly Herod Men’s Edp Spray, 4.2 Ounce– A warm, mature, and sexy cologne. Herod struck me as a fragrance with elements of some of my other favorite scents on the market. This scent opens up with a fantastic tobacco note, with cinnamon spice, pepper, and earthy patchouli. 

It later has a sweet and spicy aroma, that plays off of one another. First, vanilla. Then, it’s cinnamon and pepper pairing go to work. . Long lasting fragrance, who’s pepper spice is blunted by an incense smokiness lingering just underneath. This one is built for the cold weather and really is one of the top Parfums de Marly fragrances to boot.  Read my full Herod Review

 

Prada Luna Rossa Black for Men Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– I initially tested this one out while in Las Vegas, during the summer. It’s definitely not built for that climate, but it actually held up better than expected. However, Luna Rossa Black is at its best, in the cold.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of its opening act, nor is this my favorite Luna Rossa cologne from Prada. Nonetheless, when it dries down to its tonka bean and amber heart, I find it to be very captivating.

Beyond that, the performance is top notch. It lasts a long time, has a solid, but not overwhelming sillage. It has a darkness to it, with some underlying musk and patchouli. The tonka and amber, are the main stars here, though. Luna Rossa Black Review

 

Angel Men Pure Malt by Thierry Mugler Eau De Toilette Spray (Limited Edition) for Men, 3.40 Ounce
Fruity, malt, and woodsy notes make for an interesting fragrance. It doesn’t come across nearly as strong as the original Angel but that is a good thing for some people. The whiskey note gives it a warmth that is absolutely beautiful in the winter.

Pure Malt opens up with its whiskey, patchouli, fruits, and vanilla. At the start, the fruit medley is the dominant part of the composition. It’s fruity, warm, slightly gourmand/boozy. As it dries down, it becomes a smoother scent with its vanilla, tonka bean, and hints of coffee. It’s masculine and unique, with a fantastic vibe for the winter. Pure Malt Full Review

pure

Paco Rabanne 1 Million Prive Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– For me there is no question, that 1 Million Prive, is currently the best release by Paco Rabanne. I still really enjoy the original 1 Million, but it’s been surpassed, by this flanker.. Prive is darker, more mature, and just smells better.

The fragrance is super warm and features an opening of apple and cinnamon. Yes, it has that 1 Million signature of sweet and spicy, but it also includes myrrh and tobacco to keep it from being overly sweet. There’s a smokiness and an oriental quality to the smell.  It doesn’t have the same insane sillage of 1 Million, but it is still strong, and lasts 9-10 hours on my skin. 1 Million Prive is just a great wear and has a broad mass appeal. Read my Review

 

Ralph Lauren Polo Red Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce– Not only is this the best Polo Red fragrance, for the wintertime, it is also the best one period. It smells the nicest and has greater performance than any other of the Polo Red flankers.. This version is darker and doesn’t have the same level of fruitiness created by the cranberry note.Though, it is still present.

This is joined by a certain level of smokiness and a familiar smelling coffee note to go along with blood orange. Sweet, rich, and masculine. Ebony wood rounds out the trio of ingredients, that really make this fragrance go. Not too complicated, but does give you a different experience from the other Ralph Lauren scents, and other colognes in general. 

You get the opening citrus note of blood orange mixed with coffee. Later, coffee becomes dominate and there is an almost chocolate-like aroma hanging in the air, when blended with the wood notes. Pretty straightforward scent, but great. Polo Red Extreme Review

 

Best Smelling Under the Radar Colognes

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There are a lot of popular men’s colognes, which get mentioned, again and again. The same usual suspects, which is nice to know, but sometimes you want something different. You want to find an underrated scent that gets overlooked, that hidden gem, or something you’ve possibly never heard of.

That’s where this page will come in. In this post, I will post some of my favorite and best smelling underrated perfumes for guys. I am going to be updating this list, as I think of more options, because I do have to scour through 1000+ colognes to jog my memory. 

 

What are the Best Underrated Hidden Gem Fragrances for Men?

 

Valentino Uomo Acqua By Valentino for Men – 4.2 Oz Edt Spray, 4.2 Oz– This has been one of my favorite fragrances, that I’ve come across in the past year. Now, the Uomo line by Valentino is fairly well known, but this one still seems to be flying under the radar. 

To me, it distinguishes itself from the rest of the Uomo scents, while delivering a pretty unique experience on its own. The citrus opening act is amazing, and when paired with the tomato leaf, this cologne brings things to another level of enjoyment for me. 

I know some people like Noir Absolu, as the best flanker by Valentino, but I think that this one just smells better. It’s a delightful wear in the spring/summer months. Uomo Acqua Review

 

FENDI Fan Di Fendi Acqua Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– The whole Fan di Fendi lineup seems to have gone relatively unnoticed and I would say underrated. Fan di Fendi Acqua isn’t the best scent on the market, by any means, but it is a really nice aquatic scent. I used this quite a bit over the summer, as a casual wear.

What sets it apart from most other aquatic colognes, is its use of leather and pink pepper. It does have bergamot and citrus notes, as you’d expect, but it is paired with cedar and leather up top. The citrus is tempered and sits within the oceanic notes, along side of the peppers. This has been marked down, so much in price, that it’s practically a steal (either this or the other Fan di Fendi cologne). Fan di Fendi Acqua Review

 

BAD by Diesel | Eau de Toilette Spray 125 mL / 4.2 fl oz– Bad by Diesel has seemed to get a lot of hate online, I’m not really sure why, because it’s actually a nice fragrance. I will say that, it is a cologne for younger guys, think of it as something like Invictus. 

Nonetheless, this scent grew on me, the more that I tested it out. When smelling up close, it doesn’t smell distinct, but as it projects itself out…it became captivating. The performance is also really good. Now, I wouldn’t pay a lot to have this, but as it hits the discount retailers it should be a nice buy for guys in their early 20s. Bad by Diesel Review

diesel bad edt review

 

 

Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense for Men Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce– People will have at least heard of the original YSL L’Homme, but I haven’t really come across anyone wearing this version, out there. Maybe it’s more popular than I realize, but I don’t think that L’Homme Intense, gets its due.

This is a floral based men’s fragrance, which right away, is going to scare some guys off. Plus, the performance is just okay, which is disappointing. However, the smell is great. It’s a beautiful spring and summer scent, full of orange blossom and amber. 

It’s sort of a dark floral. You get a citrus opening, with a spicy pepper note, fresh cedar, in an absolute sea of amber. I guess that’s why I dig wearing this, as I love amber and orange blossom. I’d say, due to the longevity issue, don’t pay full price. If you can get a discounted bottle, it’s a definite yes, in my mind. L’Homme Intense Review

 

MONTBLANC Legend Night Eau De Parfum, 3.3 Fl Oz– Legend Night from Mont Blanc, has become one of my personal favorites, over the past couple of years. I don’t wear it all of the time, but I did grab a full bottle for around $40 so it should have a place for years to come.

It is a sweet fragrance, with lots of freshness. In fact, it has some overlap with Versace Eros. Some folks, don’t like the sweetness, or have longevity issues. For me, I completely dig the vanilla, cardamom, mint, apple, and the other ingredients that make this one such a fun wear. Plus, it lasts a long time on my skin.

It is smooth, fresh, calming, and delicious. It’s a great modern take on a nightlife scent. I’m not even much of a fan of the original Legend, but this one is completely different, and a scent I love. Legend Night Review

 

PARFUMS DE MARLY Oajan, 4.2 Fl Oz– There are a lot of great Parfums de Marly scents for men. It is an expensive niche designer line of fragrances and has plenty of fairly hidden gems. I’m going to select Oajan, as one that doesn’t get its proper respect, but is a really damn good wear. 

It opens up with cinnamon, benzoin, and tonka bean. It’s like a blend of Kouros Body (another underrated scent) and 1 Million Prive. It is sweet, warm, and slightly spicy and then, the honey note kicks in.  It is creamy and sweet with apple cinnamon vibes. 

The longevity here is amazing and it has the power to back it up. This is an expensive option, but a great wear in the colder climates. Oajan Full Review


Opium By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces– Opium is a fragrance which dates back to the 1990s. As such, it gets lost in the shuffle. Add to the fact, it has an exotic and ethereal quality to its aroma, and you’re not going to get a huge mass market audience for it.

Opium was one of the first colognes, that I ever purchased, and really helped to spur my interest in this topic. It opens with a blast of black currant, spice, and a balsamic aroma. It is warm, thick, and smoky. Star anise and pepper, provide its spice, which is later sweetened up by a nice vanilla note. 

I’m not sure what the latest formulations are like, but you can grab a bottle for cheap, relative to other YSL fragrances. But my bottles, of this stuff, projected very well and would go for over 10 hours. This isn’t for everyone, it’s best in colder weather, but it is a unique and great cologne. Opium Pour Homme Review

Straight To Heaven Extreme by Kilian/1.6 oz.– Yes, the original is one of the most popular Kilian scents. However, let’s kick things up, with Straight to Heaven Extreme which is even better than its predecessor. Like, a few other By Kilian fragrances, Straight to Heaven Extreme utilizes rum.

However, this one doesn’t go into full sweetness mode, and is much boozier overall. There is still some sweetness, with dried fruits and some vanilla, but it has a much earthier base with a nice patchouli note. It lives up to the extreme title, as the projection and longevity, are awesome.

Best Citizen Watches Under $500 for Men 2019

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The holiday season is fully upon us. As such, everyone is scrambling for gifts to buy family, friends, or even themselves. Watches, are naturally a popular gift giving choice, and Citizen is a brand with a ton of fantastic options. In this post, I want to give an overview of some of the best Citizen automatic or dive watches for men, that are available for less than $500. 

 

What are the best Citizen Watches for Guys under $500? Dive, automatic and other watches.

 

Citizen’s Eco-Drive Rose Goldtone Perpetual Chrono A-T Watch– Out of the Citizen watches, I’ve been looking into, this is the one that I am leaning towards purchasing for myself. The style is great and the rose gold, is just beautiful. This is one that is sure to get complements. 

The Eco-Drive, is powered by light, and the converted energy is stored within the power cell. No need to change the battery, as it’s always being recharged. The radio controlled time function, works in 5 time zones, so it will automatically move to the correct time in both the US and UK. 

This watch is currently selling at $315.98 on Amazon (click the picture), but the retail price was $675. For well less than our $500 limit, you can enjoy this stylish piece, worth much more with a significant discount.

 

Citizen Men’s BN0151-09L Promaster Professional Diver- This great looking watch, is one for the more adventurous man. The Promaster Professional Diver is water resistant down to 200 meters. The band itself is polyurethane, while the timepiece itself is also powered by Eco-Drive. 

The display is simple, featuring only the date, but the large white circles on the face are nice to have in low-light conditions. This is a very affordable dive watch, with a current price as of writing, of $162.98 on Amazon. A dive watch of this quality, one would be hard pressed to find a better deal. 

 

Citizen BJ7000-52E Eco-Drive Nighthawk Watch– Going from a rather basic display, to one with a whole lot going on, this stainless steel watch even features a pilot slide rule. Beyond that, it looks completely cool. The numbers are easy to read, you’ve got your standard date display, dual-time display,  the solar powered Eco-Drive, and quartz movement.

This Nighthawk is water resistant to 200 meters, but isn’t a dive watch. Keep it to lighter water activities. The price is around $188 right now, well within our price range. A great deal for such a useful and very wearable watch. 

 

 

Citizen’s Men’s AW1422-50E Endeavor Gold Watch- The Endeavor has a timeless and dapper style, with its gold colored stainless steel band. It an option on this list, which one could definitely dress up with. The black in the face of the watch, sits perfectly while surrounded by highlights of gold. The rest of the face is simple and doesn’t have a lot of gadgets or distractions. 

This Citizen watch is currently selling for $475, fitting just under our price range. For that price, you get an elegant look, that is suitable for daily or more formal wear, without having to venture into the higher-end luxury market. 

 

 

Avion Stainless Steel Quartz Leather, with Calf Skin Strap, Casual Watch- Moving from a watch, that can double as a formal wear, we must also take a look at Avion; built for more casual wear. The blue face is totally eye catching and features large numerals for quick telling of the minute of the hour. The 60 minute chronograph, is a nice touch, and gives the Avion a classic look.

The leather strap, is the only one on the list, but it is what many guys will prefer to wear versus a stainless steel band. This is priced currently at, the extremely reasonable $221.25, which gives you a very clean appearance and the Eco-Drive charging.