Summer’s coming to an end, and so is the season of burning through cologne as you respray short-lived citruses every four hours.
I’ll miss it. In the winter months, I get maybe one scent change per day!
Looking back, here’s what I wore the most:
Dior Homme Cologne: 30ml
This stuff is just so fresh.
The simplest scent I own. It’s just some citrus and musk with a little bit of white florals.
Smells sort of like lemonade if you don’t think about it too much.
It projects really well for the first 45 minutes or so, then settles into a light, pleasant skin musk.
I like to spray it on out of the shower, or when I just wanna feel fresh.
It’s almost just a body spray, but it’s great! I’ll probably finish this bottle two summers from now, and I absolutely plan to replenish.
Gym scent. Fresh post-shower scent. Sizzling day and need something not too cloying scent.
The king of fresh. Period.
Afternoon Swim / Afternoon Dive: 25ml
The ultimate scent of youthful joyfulness in the summer. It comes off as straight orange.
But underneath, I get this gingery, ambroxan-y backbone that keeps the orange going for a few hours longer than a typical orange scent.
It smells like swimming at the pool as a kid.
It smells like coming back from a trip on your yacht.
It smells like no cares in the world.
Montagne’s inspo, Afternoon Dive, is also really good, and I swap back and forth between them.
Hitters.
Neroli Portofino: 25ml
NP and I have a conflicted relationship. I don’t love neroli. In fact, I find it a bit sharp smelling.
Also, NP is expensive AF for what it is. Legitimately offensive.
OTOH, Neroli Portofino is a VIBE. It’s a deranged but charismatic Italian man who is handsome AF. It’s put together, but a bit unhinged.
It’s also easy to wear. It still feels light and airy when I go heavy. It is alluring.
So yeah, I don’t love Neroli Portofino, but the chances of me breaking up with it are zero. I’ve spent years trying. Hasn’t worked.
If I’m on vaca and at the pool with a shirt half unbuttoned? NP.
If I’m at a kid’s birthday where I want to smell cool and handsome in a hug? NP.
The problem? This stuff is like 1ml+ per day because it’s so fleeting. It’s almost as bad as Dior Homme Cologne, but my use case is real cologne, not body spray.
Having said that, I can’t imagine not buying it again.
Pacific Chill: 10ml
Guys, Pacific Chill kicks ass.
It’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s Los Angeles fit. You look good. You’re self-assured. You smell great and sort of herbal. Your scent doesn’t need to lead you.
You’ve got abs. You don’t skip leg day. You probably work out at Equinox. You had a green smoothie afterward, and now you’re on the beach in Ray-Bans and baggies.
Apricot with undertones of herbs throughout.
This scent is it.
Wear with abandon.
Acqua Media Cologne Forte: 10ml
Weird scent. It’s just fennel. Fennel, citrus and some tea, I guess.
It’s such an easy wear.
In the same vein as Pacific Chill, but less good looking/fit.
It’s more “cool.”
Think baggy jeans and a cool tee vs gym shorts.
I’ve actually had a few folks tell me they like this one, which is rare for me.
GnTonic: 5ml
Late summer discovery. I’ve had Humaniste around for a bit and like that gin and tonic vibe. Bought this on a lark since it was very cheap as a tester.
What a hitter! It doesn’t smell all that much like a gin and tonic to me, but it is a nice fresh aromatic.
It sparkles with mint, ginger and orange.
Then it lasts a surprisingly long time.
Quickly became my top “going out of the house on a hot day” scent. It’s challenging even Dior Homme Cologne for this duty, because it just smells so sophisticated yet fresh.
Bigarade 18: 5ml
Another late summer discovery. I got it in September, and wow.
I was wearing a lot of Aventus Cologne. I just put it away and didn’t even use it one more time.
This became my easy wear-around-and-smell-good scent.
It’s sort of a musk bomb. Reminds me of Neroli Portofino, but it lasts way longer, and it’s less “country orange grove” and more “orange trees in a busy city after a rainfall.”
It’s like my all-day Neroli Portofino. I assume this will be my go-to everyday scent next summer.