Polo Sport EDT by Ralph Lauren

Polo Sport was an insanely popular release back in the 1990s. I remember so many people wearing this, back then, and occasionally using some myself when I could get ahold of it. Since then, the ubiquity of use has calmed down, while this Ralph Lauren scent has pretty much achieved classic status. I grabbed a small sprayer of this cologne recently and wanted to give a full and proper review to Polo Sport. 

What does Polo Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin orange, mint, neroli, artemisia, lavender, bergamot, ginger, musk, sandalwood, and more

Click here to try: Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren for Men 4.2 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review of Polo Sport

Obviously, I’m going to have to do this review with the current formulation of Polo Sport. Does it smell the same? My memory says no, but it doesn’t feel so radically different, that I couldn’t be wrong.

The opening act is a fresh burst of subdued citrus with fresh and quasi-soapy elements. I pick up plenty of orange, some lemon, as the man fruit notes. Then, there is the mint, lavender, and neroli. Up top, I mostly get mint and neroli, but the lavender will come on stronger later in the wear.

It’s got an absolutely chilled spice, with floral, and light aquatic smells due to the inclusion of seaweed. I appreciate the seaweed, in this Ralph Lauren cologne, versus something like Bvlgari Aqua. In the latter, I feel it becomes too much and distracts from my enjoyment.

The spice is fairly concentrated in the start, but within a few minutes, Polo Sport becomes smoother and more inviting with the citrus. This is when, I really begin to love this scent. The super cleanliness, vague watery pops, mint, and light floral touch. 

Then, there is that aquatic sweetness. It’s a smell that I find difficult to describe in words, but it’s exactly how I’ve always identified Polo Sport, and really haven’t found it in any other scent. There’s just something with the way the citrus blends with the aquatic notes and other ingredients, that has always stood out to my nose.

During the dry down, things are pretty set. However, Sport does add a slight muskiness and woodiness, later on. The fresh spice, doesn’t bite as hard, and it really lingers as a true sporty/aquatic cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, Polo Sport has never been super powerful. It’s got decent sillage, in the first few hours, and then hangs closer to the skin. Even with this newer bottle, it doesn’t strike me as ever being weak. 

The longevity, seems to sit at about 5-7 hours on my skin. Not all that great, but still very useful. For me, the performance is better than Polo Blue EDT, which seems to get more attention these days. 

Does is have the same level of power as before? Probably not. Is it terrible now? No. 

Seasonally, this is a summer gem. Actually, any moderate to warmer weather situation will do, as Polo Sport is absolutely great. It’s a ‘colder’ sort of fragrance, so, it somewhat feels out of place during the winter. 

Polo Sport is like the ultimate casual cologne, that can still venture into semi-formal occasions. Warm weather daily wear, mostly, but there have been plenty of guys who wear this out on a date. This such an easy reach, as a daily wear fragrance.

Really doesn’t require much thought at all, as it won’t offend and has a great soothing character. It’s such a near all-around fragrance, which is why it has stood the test of time for decades now.

One of the best aspects, is that it can be a fitting choice to wear for teenagers, as well as older men. It simply has that dynamic energy to it, without being childish, or cheap smelling. Again, though, if you need something formal look elsewhere.

Overall Impressions of Polo Sport

This is a nostalgia cologne for me and a lot of other people, who are old enough to remember the 1990s. But, in the fragrance game, things can change a lot. The scents you once loved can be destroyed by reformulations.

Is that the case, with Polo Sport? Not really. It’s different, in some ways, but still retains its soul and what made this perfume work. Is it as good? Again, not really. Though, it’s still very nice to wear, and they haven’t killed it. 

Polo Sport is a classic, that is well worth giving a try to. I’m glad I bought a small travel sprayer, so that I can revisit this one. I’ll probably be wearing it, as the mood strikes me, over the ensuing months. 

Has it lost a step? Almost certainly. Though, when compared with some other options from older eras that are still produced, the decline isn’t as noticeable. It’s still a fun scent with its strengths and it’s not a performance beast…but I still enjoyed coming back to this cologne.

Update: Having finished the travel sprayer, I have to say that I do still enjoy wearing Polo Sport. Definitely not my favorite or anything, but it still has the ability to charm. I mostly wore it casually around town or to the gym, as a quick freshener. I don’t think I’d pay full price for it, but with some discounts in place, I’d give it another round.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.