Fragrance Review: Best Date Night or Night Out Scents For Men

To continue my series of advisory reviews, I decided to put together two lists...the first (this one) is a list of my recommended Date Night Scents for Men  (the second being, date night scents for women). This list was made using fragrances I own as well as fragrances I have sampled.

One thing all the fragrances have in common is all of them have been worn out at night (either to a date with the girl or night out with the boys and garnered the attention of other women...or dudes). I think this list will entail something for everyone...high schoolers, college students, yuppies, hipsters, older gentlemen, etc.

How do I choose a night out scent? This selection doesn't revolve around the "one thing" most guys look for in a night out...that one thing being seduction. Seduction may be a part of it...but not the end all. If you have the swagger of a turtle, the personality of a rock, and the elocution of GW Bush, you can douse yourself in one of these potions and you'll still find yourself dialing a 900 number at night. The point is, pick a fragrance for more intimate moments based on one that reflects your personality...but make sure you back it up! The scent is only something that amplifies your aura...but in order to do so..you must have an aura to begin with!

1a. Lumiere Noire Pour Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
    Ooh this is a goddamn beauty. People cannot stop sniffing me when I wear this because it leaves everyone around me intrigued. Exceptionally unique, I find no fragrance, let alone a rose based scent, that smells anything like this. Black Light is such an apt name...A light airy fragrance with the darkness of spice and a brooding rose that will mystify any nostril that dares to take a whiff. I have a thing about wearing black so this is a perfect signature for me. You can wear this in any weather, any occasion, and at anytime. It is a beautiful scent and a work of art, and one the sexiest, most alluring scents ever made. It is not a sillage monster, but believe me, it does well. On a cool fall day when I sport this in the city, I literally can tell that heads are turning. 10/10.

1b. New Haarlem by Bond No. 9
    Sweet, sexy, unique, and  comforting. It is what every woman wants, no? So rock this on a night out, and believe me it will be a worthy wingman. This is one of those scents that doesn't define the genre of "cologne."  No this is rather fragrance...art...and a unique take on the senses. On a night out, this does wonders. Not only does it last a ton, but it projects like a beast. Go easy on the trigger and the trail that you will leave will sure to garner followers in short skirts and heels.


2. Envy by Gucci
   The discontinued masterpiece. Very hard to find (at a reasonable price). A green, spicy beauty, this daring fragrance truly is a timeless classic. Not only does it have a seductive quality to it, but it also has hidden beneath it, a fresh, slightly sweet sillage, that is enveloped in mild spices. Aah I can't wait til my bottle comes in the mail!  Definitely check ebay auctions for this one.


3. Allure by Chanel
    Nuff said. One thing I love about Chanel...always true to its name :-)


4. Aventus by Creed
     This is awesome at night. Why? Because it is unexpected. Dawn usually calls for spicy, dark, incense based fragrances, while some men choose to do a 180 and smell of something lighter, aquatic, or fruity. Now imagine a hybrid between these two poles...imagine a spicy, dark, fruity, incense based apple/pineapple scent with incense undertones? What you just imagined is Aventus and believe me this is perfect for a night out. Quality juice (like all Creeds) this will last til the very end..and then some...people may just be staring at you for other reasons during your walk of shame ;-)   

5. Ambre Narguile by Hermes
    Ooh spicy, honeyed apples, laced with hookah tobacco, with amber juggling all three brilliantly. If this doesn't get you hickies, I don't know what will (oh yeah..the presence of a grimy, horrible, aura). If you can pull this off, you should wear it out more often. Nothing but compliments on this one, and women LOVE this stuff. But let me tell you something else...as airy as this fragrance can be..it has excellent projection and sillage. When you, yourself, get whiffs of it on your evening adventures, you, too, feel a surge of confidence and sexiness. This will also be on the Women's version of this list. I think people categorize this as "gourmand" because of the apple notes and a slightly creamy notion that gives it this "apple pie" feel...to me.. I think this is a spicy oriental with a rich tobacco and amber backbone, and a "gourmand" only in its absolute end stage of the drydown (like the dry down's dry down is gourmandish).

6. One Million and Black XS by Paco Rabanne
    I put both of these Paco classics in one grouping because I think these are perfect for the club scene...as well as high school and college students. Even on a date this would do well...there's nothing seductive or alluring about either...they are just pure head turners that smell really damn good. No complexity, no interesting development...just pure damn good smells. Great for clubbing because they cut through the thick air and smoke and melange of hundreds of fragrances, and they last all day! The only problem one may find is, more than 50 of you at one time in one particular club will smell of One Million. It's just a fact. I smelled it on a bouncer once and realized it is so popular that you can smell even before you step inside. But still good scents and cheaper than the others mentioned before.

7. Code by Armani
   Another one if you are on a budget but want to smell really really nice. Imagine a dark citrus fragrance, with a touch of powder, softened by Guiaco Wood, with Vanilla undertones. I don't know if vanilla is in this but I get that vibe. It comes off as a brooding citrus WITH some light florals, but light woods. This is awesome....I think this USED to be popular, but died down with time. Only issue with this is longevity. But if you put some of this on before going out, it will definitely wing you for the best moments!

8. La Nuit De L'Homme by YSL
   I was about to put L'Homme down because I like it so much...until I realized there is another one better suited for the night. A spicy sweetened lavendar fragranc...LNdL is masculine scent where the florals bloom amidst a beautiful blend of spices...woods form the backdrop, while a tolerable sweetness emerges. This was MADE for the night. L'Homme is your everyday signature...while this badboy is just that...a badboy for the night. I mean look at the spokesperson for it..Vincent Cassel...this guy straight up just looks like everyday is a walk of shame...but he does it with swag...and this fragrance is made for anyone else who can.

....A word on Musc Ravageur by Maurice Roucel for Frederic Malle
I would like to make this number 9...but there is a huge problem with this scent. Is it nice? Yeah. Is it good for night outs? Yeah. Will it please Everyone? Absolutely not.  I guess I could make this 9. and call it the best night out scent for a mature man...30+...because I do not see this working for EVERYONE who is under that age group...assuming that the 30+ man I speak of IS out with a woman his age or older. If you are a young guy and you are into cougars..this will work everytime. The mature nose is far different than the younger. Mature women have smelled it all....their olfactory gene code has Drakkar Noir, Anteus, Givenchy Pour Homme fully integrated...In fact, scents like One Million are just pleasant whiffs of air for these experienced women. I think women over 30+ who just like nice, musky, strong smells will love Musc Ravageur...but NOT every young female will enjoy this. That is why I can't put this is a contender in the best night out scents. It is a damn good one though..just not the best. However, it is among the best night out scent..for a woman! More on that later.

9. 24 Gold by Scentstories
   Based of the hit show, 24 on Fox, 24 Gold is a flanker to the original 24 The Fragrance. This one, however, took a different turn...for the sweeter. Think white chocolate, raspberry tart...with Aoud wood lurking in the background, and a light touch of incense. This stuff is heavenly, if applied right (it can seriously knock you the fuck out the way Jack Bauer would). Have you ever smelled those White frosted Christmas cookies that are shaped like Christmas Trees and have green sprinkles on them? When you're about to take a bite of one of those, the smell that overwhelms your nose as you take that first munch, is exactly what the sillage of this smells like...with some berries, incense, and Aoud added to the mix. It is very nice, elegant, cozy, and sexy! Perfect for a date. This is niche quality perfumery with an amazing price!!! (<45 bucks)!

10. John Varvatos Classic By John Varvatos
   This shit is awesome. It should be much higher up actually, but forget the ratings. This stuff is pure masculinity, and pure "cologne" in a bottle. To the average lady or crowd, this is what a man's scent should be. Extremely woody with a sweet base, but it has that soft sparkly musk that adds some "tonic" to your gin. This is awesome stuff. Only pitfall...horrible, horrendous, blasphemous longevity. 2-3 hours and this shit is gone (on clothes too)! Unless your skin is blessed, this may need to be overdone. However, if your goal is a quick run to a restaurant, a short date, then spray this on and you won't be disappointed. Great signature, and not that bad of a price. In fact it is so good that I would carry a small decant just to reapply because everyone should be able to smell this stuff!