Eros for Men EDT by Versace

In mythology, Eros was the God of Love. Perhaps it is fitting that a mythological deity who inspires love, should have a fragrance named after him. Italian fashion house, Versace, has a long history of producing fashionable and very well done colognes for men. I am updating (and have been previously) this review of Eros for Men after spending years, coming back to it, and refining my opinion of this cologne.

This has become one of my favorite scents from the brand, as it just strikes me as something so different from the rest of the line. In this post, I want to explore how this cologne smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is a buy.

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What does Versace Eros EDT Smell Like?

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver, Italian lemon

Shop Amazon for: Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

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Intro to Eros

The first thing that one should know about Eros, is that it is a very strong fragrance, in certain circumstances. While there are plenty of others out there which you can wear many sprays and not offend, Eros is not among them. Which can be a good thing, as when you have to use less, the bottle itself will last for a longer period of time.

However, let this serve as a warning to those who like to wear too much cologne, because while this smells great, too much of a good thing will have you repelling people left and right.

That being said, the mythological moniker, has proved to be utterly appropriate for this scent since its release six or so years back. Eros has such a lively character and intensity, which really sets it apart from other fragrances and probably why it’s a perennial best seller.

Versace didn’t hold back with this one and its sheer boldness has garnered it a legion of dedicated supporters over the years. It’s also not just loud for loud’s sake, it is insanely attractive, and a cologne with complete sex appeal.

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My Full Review

This Versace eau de toilette opens with a zesty Italian lemon note, that is joined by a crisp juicy green apple, and the cool spice of mint leaves. Eros is super fresh, intense, and has quite the masculine presence.

What’s always been interesting to me, is how there is a slight chocolate undertone, which sits throughout the wear, but mostly in the opening minutes. I know that I’m not the only one who detects this, but what I take it to be is the interplay between the dry vetiver, vanilla (among other sweet notes), and tonka bean.

It is sort of the same effect (chocolate aroma without the ingredient) you find in Dior Homme Intense, though, these are entirely different fragrances.

Eros is a cologne that yields a definite spiciness to how it projects itself. Not a peppery or overwhelming spice, mind you. The mint oil note probably gives it the strongest sense of spiciness, as it is a dominate note in Eros’ presentation.

It’s really a blend that is headed up by mint, vanilla, and tonka bean with the latter two notes helping to create that very rich warmth and ‘delicious’ flavor that this cologne becomes known for. This is offset by the cold crispness of mint (and apple to some extent).

Update: The newer batches have had an impact on my opinion of Eros EDT. I’ve tried a few different samples and minis and they now seem to be skewed towards a strong lemon in the opening, with more ambroxan (like Flame) in the dry down. The balanced nuance with the vanilla appears to be lost.

Some people find this cologne to be too sweet for their tastes, and though I agree that it can be too much sometimes, I also find it to be very pleasing to wear when I’m in the right mood for this Versace beast.

I think that there are much sweeter or candy-like fragrances out there and Eros gets balanced out but it other ingredients. It sort of tones down, once the fruit top notes recede into the background.

Further on in the drydown period, Eros really becomes an enveloping fragrance. It’s like a delicious gourmand cloud of warmth. The ambroxan amber and an ever so slight floral note (geranium) emerge to flank the main trio of notes.

It’s a radiating aura of a smooth, creamy, and freshly sensual aroma with the vanilla note at its absolute apex. Ambroxan is seemingly used in just about every new release nowadays. I think between this and Dior’s Sauvage, designers needed to put out as many copycat scents as possible. In Eros, the amber is great, and gives a perfectly desirable effect. (Update: Again, now it’s too much).

Then, we get to the base, ever present but most detectable a few hours after application. Dry woods and earthy aromas, this is the foundation of the entire fragrance.

Mostly what I get from the base, is the dual blend of cedarwood notes (Atlas and Virginia), which are staples in men’s fragrances. This is what gives Eros its staying power and strong virile character. Throw in some oak moss and the aforementioned vetiver and this scent is perfectly rounded out.

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How Long Does Eros Last?

Beyond being just a strong cologne, Eros also tends to last a long time as well. Seriously, a few sprays will last all day on my skin and well into the evening. Eros is an absolute monster in terms of performance, in my experience with it.

Longevity can of course vary based on one’s own skin, body chemistry, and the batch of the fragrance being sold. I haven’t heard anything about any significant reformulations of the scent by Versace yet, but I’ve tended to get 8-10+ of wear from Eros, depending on the climate that particular day.

Update: Yeah, it seems like it’s lost a step to me. Still very strong, but not to the same degree, in the latest batches I’ve tried. The longevity is still fine, just less of the wears that hit double digit hours.

So, yeah, not only is the sillage great; Eros also tends to last a very long time. More than you will need under most circumstances. Again, I’ve never needed or wanted to spray this at a maximum of 3 times. In confined space, I’m not even going more than two spritzes.

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When Should You Wear Eros? Is it Versatile?

I like it best as a romantic or nightlife fragrance, I mean, you can wear it during the daytime but tread lightly in an office type environment. When I wore it casually to work, I’d put on only 1 spray and let it breathe some before heading into the office.

Update: Nowadays, you could probably do 2 sprays in this scenario. The initial release was an absolute monster, it’s still heavy, just not to the same degree.

I also wouldn’t wear this during the summertime and I don’t think it holds up well in the heat. At night, you can rock Eros during the warmer months, I just really don’t like what the humidity turns this one into.

This cologne is built for the cooler weather and it is absolutely beautiful during that time of year. Eros hangs so beautifully in the cold and envelops you in a warm and sweet cloud of fragrance that will have you wanting to catch a sniff of yourself all day. Now, picture how that turns out in hot and humid conditions.

It’s versatile in the sense that you can wear it everyday, if you go light with it. However, I really do keep it limited to evenings out, and casual daytime use. Personally, I don’t need such a bold cologne for situations that don’t call for it.

In terms of the age of a potential wearer, this scent does seem to skew younger, but I don’t find it to be a ‘teenager’ scent exclusively.

Sure, high school guys through men in their twenties, have really latched on to Eros and propelled it to top seller status…but it still works for males of all ages. Don’t let the sweet elements dissuade you, this Versace is still plenty manly and just exudes a vigorous confidence.

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Eros Flame vs Eros

In 2018, Versace finally released a flanker fragrance to the original Eros, some six years after it came out. This cologne comes in a Ruby Red bottle and is called Eros Flame (linked my review).

Is it better than the original? In my opinion, no. It shares a lot of similarities, but ultimately takes things in a new direction during the dry down.  For a complete head to head breakdown: Eros vs. Eros Flame

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Final Thoughts on Eros for Men

Overall, I rather like Eros a lot as a cologne. I think it is one that will work great from the Fall to the early Spring because its spice and rich aroma will project well in the crisp air of those months. If you’re a guy who like layered scents that are wholly masculine, then Eros might be just what you’re looking for.

Update: This was one of my favorites of the best-selling designer colognes. Nowadays, not so much. I still like it, but the formula just feels off to me.

The citrus is stepped up or the creaminess of the vanilla/tonka bean is scaled back, or both. I don’t think it’s just my imagination, as I wore this for years after this initial review came out in 2013 or 2014. With a thinner and less rich and creamy envelopment, the ambroxan comes on a bit too much, also.

I don’t think the new batches are bad or anything, just had to drop the score below down 10-15%. You might want to check out the newer Eros releases too, EDP and Parfum. EDP captures a similar start to how EDT used to smell, but not quite.

Actually, I prefer Parfum to EDP overall, since EDP changes away from being a close comparison to the original EDT formulation. Still, none of the Eros releases really stand out as being significantly better than the others, in my opinion. I’d either go Parfum or EDT here in 2023.

Test them out and see which is best on your skin. Hopefully, with EDT you still get to experience more of that vanilla richness the 2012 version had.

If you don’t like sweetness, gourmand type of scents, or colognes that can be heavy…I would avoid Eros in that case. This is a bold and gaudy fragrance, that isn’t for the meek or those who are in the market for a moderate, year-round scent.

It has a specific function in a cologne collection and Eros does what it does very well. It’s not for everybody, but it is damn good.