The devil’s in the details when it comes to choosing the best Prada cologne for men — and we have everything you’ll need to decide which Prada cologne suits you best.
Though perhaps better known for their leather goods and handbags, Prada has quietly been developing a highly sought-after series of colognes and perfumes since the early 2000s.
As with their fashion offerings, Prada’s fragrances are most recognizable for their use of costly luxury ingredients. While this may translate to a higher cost per bottle for most of their colognes, the staying power of their fragrances helps to balance out your investment.
In this guide, we’ve collected our five favorite prada colognes for men. Complete with full aromatic profile notes and suggestions for when and where to wear each cologne, you’ll get the inside scoop on which Prada cologne will best match your tastes.
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5 Best Prada Cologne For Men In 2022
With each Prada cologne featuring a decidedly different signature aroma, it was difficult to pick just five of the best — but we’re confident that the colognes that follow have something great to offer for any man.
Prada Luna Rossa (Our Top Pick)
Named after a sailboat in the American Cup competitions, Prada’s Luna Rossa (or “Red Moon”) draws inspiration from the maritime world and pairs it with fresh, clean, and punchy aromatics.
Of all the Prada colognes we’ve reviewed for this article, only Luna Rossa receives the honor of being crowned Best Prada Cologne for men — all thanks to its skin chemistry-friendly composition that smells great on just about anyone.
Leading with a classic European combination of lavender and bitter orange, Luna Rossa leads swiftly into a full, bursting heart of freshly picked clary sage and spearmint. Ambrette, also known as muskmallow, lends an earthy and vegetable base that pairs delightfully with synthetic Ambroxan to produce a deep, long-lasting musk.
Offering moderate intensity and medium to long-lasting duration, Luna Rossa is ideally suited as a daytime cologne. It’s clean enough to wear to the office, but its deeper tones offer an enticing scent that’s sure to last all day long. Simply put, if you’re looking for a Prada cologne for daily wear, Luna Rossa may be the perfect fit.
Notes:
- Top notes of lavender and bitter orange
- Middle notes of mint and clary sage
- Base notes of ambrette and Ambroxan
Best For:
- Everyday wear
- Year-round wear
Prada Luna Rossa Sport
Released three years after the original Luna Rossa, Prada’s Luna Rossa Sport totally redefines the fragrance’s experience — pushing boldly into deeper, richer, and more abundantly aromatic territory that makes it much better suited as a nighttime or date night cologne.
Bright and juicy ginger and juniper berries lead into the fragrance with an unmistakable burst of pungent freshness, whereupon they meet head on with a field of fresh lavender at the height of its summer fragrance. Deeper still, sweet and complex vanilla and tonka bean give Luna Rossa Sport a greater pull, inviting the nose ever closer to catch just another whiff of this beguiling scent.
Intense and long-lasting, Luna Rossa Sport may be a little over the top for wearing to the office — but it’s an excellent cologne for splashing on after the gym, before going out with friends for a night on the town. Equally so, it’s an ideal cologne for weekend getaways and special occasions.
Notes:
- Top notes of juniper berries and ginger
- Middle notes of lavender
- Base notes of vanilla and tonka bean
Best For:
- Going out after work
- Wearing for weekend getaways
- Special occasions
Prada Luna Rossa Black
The 7th and most recent reformulation of the wildly popular Luna Rossa, Prada’s Luna Rossa Black takes the classic scent further into the late hours of the night — and away from the signature lavender of previous incarnations, in favor of a rich and woodsy focus. If powdery lavender isn’t your style, Luna Rossa Black will be a welcome reprieve from other scents in this lineup.
Complex bergamot citrus top notes quickly fade after initial application, giving way to herbal angelica and patchouli at this cologne’s heart. A richly textured base of coumarin, amber, and musk anchors the scent, creating a sultry finish with good staying power.
Offering moderate intensity but exceptional duration, Luna Rossa black truly shines as a nighttime cologne. It’s also better suited to the colder months of the year, where the deep amber and musk tones can draw on the signals of the season to invite warmth and contemplation.
Notes:
- Top notes of bergamot
- Middle notes of angelica and patchouli
- Base notes of coumarin, amber, and musk
Best For:
- Nighttime wear
- Fall and winter wear
Prada L’Homme
A modern take on Prada’s classic combination of exotic amber and iris, Prada’s L’Homme was introduced in 2016. It’s a decidedly soft take on a masculine fragrance, inspired by the mixing of masculine and feminine energies found in couples that consider each other true equals. In our opinion, it’s a delightfully complex cologne that every man should try wearing at least once.
Broadly textured and interesting from the first application, L’Homme is redolent of black pepper, cardamom, and neroli in its top notes. A host of flowers are joined by a South American mate in its heart, giving an impression of a freshly mulched flower bed. Sandalwood and cedar mingle with amber at the base, producing a notable freshness that carries through the entire scent.
Only moderately intense but quite long-lasting, L’Homme is an excellent all-rounder of a scent. If you’re looking for something different from the traditionally masculine colognes that dominate the market, give L’Homme a shot; it’s a unique blend of classic and contemporary influences that we’re quite fond of
Notes:
- Top notes of neroli, black pepper, cardamom, and carrot seed
- Middle notes of iris, violet, geranium, and mate
- Base notes of amber, cedar, patchouli, and sandalwood
Best For:
- Men looking for a cologne that’s not traditionally masculine
- Everyday wear
Prada Amber Pour Homme
Also known as “Prada Man”, Prada’s Amber Pour Homme was launched in 2006 to immediate critical and popular acclaim. Even more interesting, this cologne was deeply influenced by Miucci Prada, granddaughter of the company’s founder; she says “I just tried to imagine what I would like if I were a man.”
Elegant and gentle but firmly masculine, Amber Pour Homme opens with top notes of citrus, cardamom, and neroli oil. Powerful musk and vetiver meet their match in potently aromatic orange blossom to create the scent’s heart, which is generously supported by a complex base of vanilla, leather, patchouli, and more.
Intensely aromatic and long-lasting, Amber Pour Homme is destined to become a particular type of man’s everyday scent. Its complex profile is not for the faint of heart — but if you enjoy the aromatic journey that it presents, no other cologne will be able to replace it.
Notes:
- Top notes of neroli, cardamom, bergamot, and mandarin orange
- Middle notes of myrrh, musk, orange blossom, geranium, and vetiver
- Base notes of saffron, vanilla, labdanum, leather, tonka bean, sandalwood, and patchouli
Best For:
- The man looking for an unconventional fragrance
The History Of Prada Cologne
Founded in 1913 by Mario Prada in collaboration with his brother Martino, Prada has been a key player in the Italian luxury fashion industry since its inception.
Originally developed as a leather goods and luggage store based out of Milan, the company didn’t become internationally famous for its products until being taken over by Mario’s granddaughter, Miuccia. Pioneering a line of meticulously designed handbags and backpacks in 1979, Miuccia built on this success with shoes, womenswear, and eventually — fragrances.
Beginning with small batches of boutique perfumes in 1990, it would be another 13 years before Prada released their first fragrances for men. Focusing on rare, expensive, and hard to find ingredients, all of Prada’s colognes have an unforgettable signature that few other perfumers have been able to successfully duplicate.
Is Prada Cologne Good?
If you want a good smelling cologne, then you’ll want a Prada cologne. This is typically a “dangerous” thing to say in the world of fragrances because smell is also subjective. However, we can say with confidence that you won’t be disappointed with any of the Prada colognes we listed above.
These colognes have racked up thousands of positive reviews each, which show just how truly popular they are online. Some have even received critical acclaim from 3rd party sources. Customers have mentioned how “authentic” it as and some even consider it a “must buy”. The key is to pick the right cologne for you.
For great fragrances like Prada, make sure to check out brands like John Varvatos, Hollister, and Byredo.
What Does Prada Cologne Smell Like?
Prada sells many different types of colognes. So whether you’re a man who’s getting ready for a nighttime date or you’re just looking for a nice scent to wear to a holiday dinner with your family, then there is a scent for you. So there is no one way a Prada cologne smells like.
With that said, most of the colognes we’ve reviewed can be considered “all around” scents. That’s because they focus masculine scents that demand attention, but at the same time don’t risk offending any sensitive noses. This includes everything from floral scents to more musky ones.
Brian Adee
Brian has been fascinated with fragrances since his 8th birthday, when his Dad gifted him a bottle of Acqua di Gio. Since then, he has become a men's grooming & style aficionado who teaches men how to look sharp. Backed by personal experience, Brian's articles are known for his no-holds-barred style where he holds nothing back. You will get his real opinions on the latest men's grooming products and best practices where he reveals the best (and worst) style advice every man should know.
