Who’s The Best Vetiver Cologne NOW? Discover The Top 7!
Vetiver.
The perfect balance between fresh, aromatic, and woody.
In this article, you will discover how the best vetiver colognes smell, perform, and anything else you need to know.
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Table of Contents
#7 – Bvlgari Man Wood Essence
The opening is led by a light and zesty lemon note. It is not juicy but sweeter than most. This helps play into Wood Essence’s fresh emphasis rather than a citric emphasis.
The base notes are present immediately. Coriander is most prominent with woody cypress and resins in the background.
Coriander, the first 15 minutes is balanced by the citrus. After this period, the coriander fades, and the cypress washes over the scent, bringing woody cedar with it.
The main emphasis is cypress with lingering citrus; it stops cypress from getting too woody.
The dry down simplifies. It is all about the fresher woods atop of warm and resinous amber. Like the color of the juice, I smell that greenish aromatic nature of cypress. This is what you’ll get for the rest of the wear.
This lasts six to seven hours on the skin with moderate to light projection. As for seasons and occasions, it works for all seasons, but you’ll have to spray heavier in the winter. It is for all-occasions.
#6 – Lalique Encre Noire
Is the opening of this misleading? Yes. It is strong right off the bat; there is a very bright and piney cypress note with an intense spice. This is not a fragrance you’ll ever want to overspray.
At first, you’ll be like, “Oh, this is going to be a bright and piney fragrance.” That couldn’t be further from the truth.
The bright cypress and vetiver quickly get hit with a dark nature-based duo of woods and mosses. When this duo presents itself, they are the significant focus for the rest of the wear.
From this point on, woods and mosses only get stronger. Halfway through the wear, Encre Noire gains a damp-like quality. It is like the smell of walking through a freshly rained forest.
Encre Noire lasts six hours on the skin with above-average projection. It is best worn in the fall, winter, and early spring when the cooler temperatures temper it.
As for occasions, it is best worn formally and casually.
#5 – Creed Original Vetiver
Original Vetiver has a simple, airy, and pleasant aroma. It is one of the best office-safe fragrances on this list, if not out of all fragrances.
Upon the first spray is a dominant pair of bergamot and mandarin that works with subtle spicy ginger. Like real ginger, it has a “hot” quality that is so exciting. Initially, there is a green tinge. Yet, the opening doesn’t blast you with a tidal wave of vetiver.
At first, it is all about green spice with citruses. Eventually, the dominant vetiver creeps in.
Once it comes to the forefront (a few minutes), it is the star of the show for the rest of the wear. It never comes across as sharp, grassy, or abrasive to my nose as many vetivers do.
Instead, it is clean and refreshing. The citruses in the opening certainly help out in this respect.
For the rest of the wear, it is mostly vetiver and has a less prevalent woody backbone. The woodiness isn’t really anything to write home about it. It is just there for support.
The performance is office-safe. It lasts an entire workday and has a light projection.
Your coworkers will still get wafts of you as you walk by but not get consumed by your smell. It does struggle in the colder temperatures, so it’s not ultra-versatile.
#4 – Guerlain Vetiver
The opening is led by a lemon, bergamot, and neroli blast. The citruses emphasize freshness, while the neroli has a cleaner aroma but doesn’t take away from the citruses.
Within a few minutes, the fragrance is all about Vetiver. It has a very natural green smell.
The heart is all about the natural green Vetiver that has gained woodier and earthier faucets. The dry down has a peppery tinge, while the dark and earthy accents are amplified.
The rest of the wear is various spices, leather, and dry tobacco, all amplifying the strength of Vetiver.
The longevity is in the five to six-hour range with light projection. The first two hours, push out two to three feet.
After this period, it becomes a skin scent for the rest of the wear. This is spring, summer, and fall wear for all occasions.
#3 – Chanel Sycomore EDP
Close your eyes and open your imagination. You’re walking through the forest mid-autumn. The trees are half bare, and there is a sweet dew aroma from last night’s rain.
This story is the epitome of Chanel Sycomore’s smell.
The opening is sharp but not overpowering, prominently cypress and vetiver accords. Both are very rich and well-blended. The cypress brings the woody “fall” aroma.
Vetiver amplifies the woodiness of the scent and gives the fragrance an earthy tone.
Lingering in the background are faint spices and aldehydes that give the prominent cypress and vetiver accords a fresh accent. This is the sole reason. Sycomore never comes across as too “earthy.”
The dry down retains its fresh woodiness. The vetiver was the main note for the entire wear and was exceptionally well balanced.
An extremely simple perfume but one that can impress any man or woman.
This is the perfect scent for a man who wants an inoffensive and masculine-leaning scent. The performance is near beast mode and works best in the fall.
Chanel Sycomore is so unique and special that it is best saved for a special occasion.
#2 – Tom Ford Grey Vetiver
Grey Vetiver is the best Tom Ford perfume for spring. It was released in 2009 and is known for its sunniness and elegance.
Bright and uplifting grapefruit awakens your senses and sparkles off your skin. In the first few minutes, grapefruit takes the lead. Yet, vetiver is still prevalent in the background.
Now, this is a vetiver scent done well. It never comes off as piercing or assaulting my nose, as some vetivers do.
Instead, it is green with soapy cleanliness.
Over time vetiver gains more and more prominence. Always maintaining a smooth and creamy balance with grapefruit. Into the mid, Grey vetiver picks up slightly green and herbaceous spicy qualities. They are subtle but still present.
Woody notes emerge in the dry-down. Mostly, they are there to add a masculine depth to the grapefruit and vetiver mixture.
The performance is of a gentleman-like quality and has all-season versatility. You can spray heavily in colder temperatures. But for a few reasons, you’re better off saving this one for the spring and summer.
#1 – Hermes Terre d’Hermes
The opening is no doubt citric. Orange is the most noticeable, but the grapefruit is not too far behind. What is it like? It’s pretty sharp, and the first few minutes are somewhat piercing.
However, it’s not as bad as Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man EDT.
Within a few moments comes the spices. It is mostly black pepper, but there’s some bay leaf in there, which has this somewhat herbal spice.
I smell this unique opening for a while. In the background is a smoky vetiver. The vetiver is very noticeable with its woody nature. But the smokiness is not distinct; maybe it’s coming from the resins?
The base finishes less fresh than before but with a lot less smoke, and the vetiver really comes out to play. As the scent winds down, it is significantly more woody and earthy without becoming dirty.
This routinely lasts seven hours, while the projection is moderate. It is easily noticeable for the four hours I get two to three feet of projection. After this, it weakens but never becomes a skin scent.
As for seasons and occasions, this is everything and anything. Yet, in the depths of winter, the performance takes a hit.
FAQs
Does Vetiver Cologne Smell Good?
Vetiver is good and bad. Some people adore it, while it takes others a while to develop a taste for it. Vetiver comes in numerous “flavors,” from fresh and green to earthy and dirty.
However, with this variance, finding a vetiver cologne that you enjoy is easy.
Is Vetiver Scent Masculine or Feminine?
Vetiver can be masculine or feminine. One note in a fragrance doesn’t usually determine if it’s a masculine or feminine scent. It’s about the blend that the vetiver is used in.
All the ones on this list lean masculine, yet women’s colognes still have vetiver in them.
Why Is Vetiver So Popular?
Vetiver is so popular because it’s a unique and quality fragrance note. Vetiver can smell anything from fresh and green to earthy and dirty. This allows many people to pick their “flavor.”
Final Words
Vetiver is one of the most expensive perfume oils! When searching for a vetiver fragrance, know you’ll probably have to pay for it.
Yet, should you own a vetiver fragrance? Yes. There is no other wood-like note that can compete with its uniqueness. It comes in all different flavors: woody, aromatic, earthy, dirty, and more.
So, if you’re looking to get started with vetiver colognes. Anyone on this list would be an excellent choice!
Vetiver colognes are amazing; however, don’t limit yourself to these. Check out the best sandalwood colognes for men. They are all woody but much warmer and comforting. Discover the best ten here.
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