Roughly 99.9 percent of the reason you use cologne is to impress women, so why rely on your nose alone? We asked three smart (and funny!) women to smell six new colognes and separate the good from the bad.
The panel, from left to right, is fashion director Caroline Issa of London's Tank magazine, Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik, and comedian Nikki Glaser. Here's what they thought about these scents compared to GQ staff.
Lacoste L!VE
WHAT WE THINK: Lime with a bit of woodsy smoke. Sounds like a great gin drink, actually.
WHAT WOMEN THINK: Lacoste was a lady-killer. "I'd follow a man wearing this," said Issa. Shaik saw "a guy in a Hugo Boss suit," and Glaser said, "It smells like a guy who trims his ball hair." (Hint: That's a good thing.)
$69, 3.3 oz., available at lacoste.com
Pharrell Williams Girl By Comme Des Garcons
WHAT WE THINK: Don't worry-this floral, cedary smell is for boys, too. (We swear.)
WHAT WOMEN THINK: This one scored a 1 out of 3. It reminded Glaser of "the lobby bathroom in an expensive hotel." Issa, however, found it "light and insubstantial." Shaik was more to the point: "No bueno."
$135, 3.3 oz., available at doverstreetmarket.com
Masculin Pluriel By Maison Francis Kurkdjian
WHAT WE THINK: We can't pronounce it, but we know a spicy, manly scent when we smell it.
WHAT WOMEN THINK: "This is for a pretentious dad," said Glaser. The other two gals were all for going Continental. It reminded Shaik of "summer on a rooftop," while Issa pictured "a Frenchman who takes care of himself."
$185, 2.4 oz., available at neimanmarcus.com
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Michael Kors For Men
WHAT WE THINK: If you look up "cologne" in the dictionary, it sprays you with Kors's newest men's scent, a bergamot-and-musk blend.
WHAT WOMEN THINK: Issa caught a sweet undertone she dubbed a "subtle Popsicle scent," while Shaik whiffed manliness, saying, "It's like an aftershave on a guy from the 1960s." And Glaser? "It smells like an expensive baby."
$78, 4 oz., available at michaelkors.com
Luna Rossa Extreme By Prada
WHAT WE THINK: A classic sweet-spicy mix with a few twists: bergamot (as in Earl Grey tea), juniper (as in gin), leather (as in leather).
WHAT WOMEN THINK: "Smells like a tropical air freshener," said Glaser. Issa dug its dirtier qualities-"Like a guy who rolled around in the earth"-and Shaik got a whiff of Florida, saying, "It's like a sexy man on Miami Beach."
$86, 3.4 oz. available at macys.com
Invictus By Paco Rabanne
WHAT WE THINK: A patchouli-and-grapefruit blend sounds like Stevie Nicks's lunch. Here, it makes for a sporty, lightweight scent.
WHAT WOMEN THINK: The sweetness got to Issa, who said, "It smells like cotton candy and little girls." Glaser found it homey, saying, "It smells like fresh sheets," and Shaik found her number one: "Definitely my favorite."
$82, 3.4 oz. available at macys.com
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