By: Catherine Reed – December 2023
Among luxury brands, few names are as recognizable as Prada. Prada is undeniably high-end, and the brand is widely associated with a classy vibe that embraces sophistication, minimalism, and a long-standing tradition of quality.
Prada is so high end and high fashion that even the devil wears it!
The Prada brand was formally launched in 1913 by Mario Prada, who opened the first Prada store in Milan. Initially, the company sold bags, trunks, and travel accessories. But over time, fashion accessories also became part of the mix, followed by footwear and women’s attire.
It wasn’t until 1990 that Prada released its first fragrance, a limited release that many people were unaware existed. Men’s clothing became a part of the brand in 1993, marking a significant leap forward for the company.
Then about ten years later, Prada’s venture into fragrances expanded, and the company began offering colognes and perfumes to the masses.
For many people, choosing a favorite Prada cologne to add to a fragrance collection is tricky. Prada colognes and perfumes are broadly appealing, making selecting just one challenging. But if you’re looking for the best Prada colognes for you, we’re here to make that journey easier.
Our pick for the overall best Prada cologne for him is Prada Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette (EDT). As an EDT, it has more fragrance oils (aka, more staying power) than a typical cologne, reducing the need to reapply. The scent is also ridiculously well-balanced and superbly fresh, thanks to the mix of botanicals, amber, and mineral aromas. Plus, it works well for anything from a trip to the office to a date night to a relaxing Sunday brunch. It’s that easy to wear!
If you’re looking for more of the best Prada colognes, you’re in the right place. Here’s a closer look at Prada Luna Rossa Carbon and some other amazing picks.
- Our List of Best Prada Colognes
- #1. Best Overall: Prada Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette
- #2. Most Versatile: Prada L’Homme Eau de Toilette
- #3. Best for Summer: Prada Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette
- #4. Best for Winter: Prada Luna Rossa Black Eau de Parfum
- #5. Best for Date Night: Prada L’Homme Intense Eau de Parfum
- #6. Best for Compliments: Prada Luna Rossa Sport Eau de Toilette
- #7. Best Subtle Scent: Prada Amber Pour Homme Eau de Toilette
- How to Choose a Prada Cologne: A Buyer’s Guide
- How to Make Prada Colognes Last Longer
- Alternatives to Prada
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
Our List of Best Prada Colognes
#1. Best Overall: Prada Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette
Review
Our top choice for the best Prada cologne is Prada Luna Rossa Carbon EDT. Why?
Because it’s fresh and clean while also being a bit spicy. Plus, the ambroxan and patchouli keep everything magnificently grounded. It’s also a versatile option that can suit nearly any occasion. Yes, it’s that wearable!
With Prada Luna Rossa Carbon, you get a youthful scent that’s still mature enough for practically anyone. Botanicals are balanced with metallic notes for sophistication. Touches of pepper give it that spiciness you need to feel confident. Plus, there’s a bit of bergamot for brightness and lavender for that subtle hint of softness.
Sizes
You can find Prada Luna Rossa Carbon in 50 ml and 100 ml bottles, which work well for most men’s needs.
Overall Rating
Overall, customers give it a 4.6-star rating. They appreciate its versatility, as it works as well in the office as it does for special occasions. Plus, it attracts a lot of compliments, and who doesn’t love that?
@wellgroomedwarrior Our 7 Favorite Prada Colognes 💎🔥 #cologneformen #prada #pradacologne ♬ original sound – wellgroomedwarrior
#2. Most Versatile: Prada L’Homme Eau de Toilette
Review
When it comes to versatility, it’s hard to beat a classic like Prada L’Homme EDT. As an EDT, you get more fragrance oils than you find in cologne, so the fragrance sticks around well. That means less reapplying during the day, which is always nice.
Now, some men may worry when they find out that Prada L’Homme has a lot of floral notes, but don’t panic.
Yes, there are notes of iris, violet, and geranium in the mix, but touches of black pepper, cardamom, amber, and cedarwood offset them. Plus, there’s some patchouli to keep everything grounded.
Sizes
You can find both 50 ml and 100 ml bottles, allowing you to select a size that’s right for you.
Overall Rating
Among the options for Prada cologne, L’Homme is one of the highest-rated, with customers giving it 4.7 stars. They appreciate that it’s masculine without being overpowering. Additionally, it offers excellent longevity, limiting the need to reapply.
#3. Best for Summer: Prada Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette
Review
If you’re looking for the best Prada cologne for summer, your search is over. Prada Luna Rossa EDT is lighter than many other offerings by Prada, so it won’t become overwhelming in the summer heat.
Plus, the notes of bitter orange keep it bright, while mint and clary sage add an aromatic quality. There’s also a touch of lavender for softness, but not so much as to make the fragrance feminine.
For grounding, you also get amberette and ambroxan. It gives you the right mix of musky and woody without becoming heavy. Essentially, Prada Luna Rossa remains fresh but is also sophisticated and masculine.
Sizes
You can get Prada Luna Rossa in 50 ml and 100 ml bottles, so you have options for the size.
Overall Rating
Customers give Prada Luna Rossa a 4.7-star rating, so this could even make for an excellent blind purchase. Many point out how the scent is long-lasting but never overpowering, even during the summer heat. Plus, it’s another one that draws in a lot of compliments, so get ready to have your confidence boosted!
#4. Best for Winter: Prada Luna Rossa Black Eau de Parfum
Review
So, what is the Prada perfume for men for winter? Without a doubt, it’s Prada Luna Rossa Black.
This flanker offers an excellent balance of sweetness and spice. There are notes of powder and vanilla coupled with kicks of patchouli. You also get plenty of amber, along with musky and woody notes. Plus, there’s a touch of bergamot to brighten things up.
Naturally, you may wonder why you’d want to consider a “parfum,” but trust us, there’s a good reason.
You get more perfume oils with an eau de parfum (EDP). That means the scent lasts longer, and the fragrance can hold up even during winter weather conditions.
Sizes
If you want to try Prada Luna Rossa Black, 50 ml and 100 ml bottles are available.
Overall Rating
Ultimately, Prada Luna Rossa Black is sophisticated, masculine, and a bit more intense than some other fragrances from the brand. Plus, it gets a 4.6-star rating from customers, many of whom praise its staying-power and overall richness.
#5. Best for Date Night: Prada L’Homme Intense Eau de Parfum
Review
Prada L’Homme Intense EDP is a flanker that essentially takes Prada L’Homme and turns it up to 11. Along with being more fragrant, it has a warmth not present in the original. Essentially, it’s a scent that invites closeness while maintaining an air of mystery.
I absolutely love how the iris and amber come together, creating a masculine aroma that’s soft and accessible. Combine that with leather and wood, and you’ve got excellent depth.
There are also touches of vanilla, warm spices, and patchouli. Taken together, you have a richly romantic – but slightly elusive – scent that’s very layered.
Overall Rating
Customers give Prada L’Homme Intense a 4.6-star rating. They appreciate its modern edge and undeniably masculine aroma. Plus, it’s rich, luxurious, and, dare we say, sexy, making it excellent for date nights and special occasions.
#6. Best for Compliments: Prada Luna Rossa Sport Eau de Toilette
Review
Prada Luna Rossa Sport EDT is a highly wearable fragrance, but it isn’t for wallflowers. The vanilla, lavender, and ginger mix gives it a sweet yet accessible spicy edge. Hints of juniper berries add complexity, ensuring this warm fragrance doesn’t become too bright.
Ultimately, Prada Luna Rossa Sport requires a bold spirit. Why?
Because it will get you attention (in a good way!). It’s accessible while being a tad unconventional, which means more than a few people will ask about your cologne. So, be ready for some impromptu conversations because they will happen!
Sizes
If you’re ready to experience this fragrance adventure, you can pick up a 50 ml or 100 ml bottle and try it.
Overall Rating
While Prada Luna Rossa Sport is incredibly striking, it has broad appeal. Customers give it a 4.8-star rating, with many stating that the scent draws in a ton of compliments. Plus, it has solid longevity and is bold without being overpowering.
#7. Best Subtle Scent: Prada Amber Pour Homme Eau de Toilette
Review
Sometimes, you want to wear your cologne without worrying that it’s wearing you. For those occasions, the best Prada cologne is Prada Amber Pour Homme EDT.
It offers up a cool, clean aroma that’s as warm as it is soft. You get touches of citrus mingled with geranium and elevated by cardamom. There’s also – as you’d expect – amber in the mix.
The end result is a highly wearable scent that can work all year round. While Prada Amber Pour Homme is very pleasant, it’s not the type of scent that draws in crowds. Instead, it’ll leave you feeling confident and clean, allowing you to move through your day with your head held high.
Sizes
While this fragrance has been discontinued, you can still find 50 ml and 100 ml bottles without much issue.
Overall Rating
Overall, customers give Prada Amber Pour Homme a 4.6-star rating. They appreciate how fresh the fragrance leaves them feeling and its versatility.
How to Choose a Prada Cologne: A Buyer’s Guide
Now that you know more about some of the best Prada colognes on the market, it’s time to pick your perfect fragrance. So, how do you choose a cologne if you can’t go out and give it a sniff before you buy? Luckily, by using this simple strategy, it’s not too challenging.
Step 1: How do you plan to wear your Prada?
For the first step, you want to consider how you plan on wearing the fragrance.
- Are you looking for a go-to signature scent that you can wear for any occasion during any weather?
- Do you need a cologne specifically for special occasions or dates?
- Or are you after a work or weekend-friendly fragrance?
By asking questions like that, you’re essentially determining how versatile you need the cologne to be, as well as how intense of a fragrance you want.
Step 2: What Prada notes resonate with you most?
After that, you need to spend a little time thinking about notes.
- Do you want something striking and sensual featuring the aroma of amber or musk?
- Are you after something fresh and uplifting, like citrus and botanicals?
- Do you want something spicy and dramatic?
- Or do you prefer something comforting and sweet?
Again, these questions help you drill down to your perfect match, so give them some thought.
Step 3: Prada model or undercover agent?
Now, you need to figure out how noticeable you want your fragrance to be when it’s worn. Essentially, are you all about random compliments from passersby, or are you looking for an attractive but subtle scent?
Once you get that worked out, there’s a good chance you will know exactly what you’re after in a Prada cologne. Then, you can make your purchase with confidence.
How to Make Prada Colognes Last Longer
Once you invest in a Prada cologne, you want to make sure that it lasts. Luckily, there are a few simple strategies that work incredibly well.
While your skin is moist
During an interview with Real Simple, Vincent Spinnato – a celebrity fragrance developer and the Turnkey Beauty Ltd. CEO – stated that there is an ideal moment to apply your cologne.
“After a shower, your clean pores will open in the steam, making it the perfect time.” He went on to add, “However, don’t apply the perfume while your skin is still wet.” Why not? According to Spinnato, it’s because it will “rub off when you dry yourself.”
If you aren’t applying right after you take a shower, then you at least need to make sure your skin is moisturized. Apply an unscented lotion and give it a few minutes to sink into your skin. Then, you’re ready to spritz.
Location, Location, Location
Another critical thing to remember is that where you apply the cologne matters. In most cases, you want to focus on pulse points. The inner wrists and right behind the ears are classics. Just hold the bottle about three inches away and spritz once.
You can also apply it to your chest, but you want to keep the bottle closer to nine inches away to ensure good coverage with just one spray.
Also, whatever you do, don’t rub. The friction you create impacts how the scent develops, and not always in a good way. So, leave it be and let it do its thing.
When it comes to storage, keep your colognes in a cool, dry, dark place. Light, humidity, and heat are the enemies of fragrances, so by avoiding them, your colognes will still be usable for months – if not years – to come.
Alternatives to Prada
While Prada colognes are the perfect choice for many men, you might want something with similar characteristics from another brand thats easier on the pocketbook. Luckily, finding a suitable alternative isn’t impossible to do.
If you’re looking for colognes like Prada Carbon, Christian Dior Sauvage is possibly your best match, though it’s stronger overall. For colognes similar to Prada Luna Rossa, Polo Red is potentially worth a shot, as it’s similarly wearable and shares some fragrance notes.
For anyone looking for colognes similar to Prada L’Homme, Dior Homme is a potential option, particularly if you want a similar profile with a little more strength. If you’re after colognes similar to Prada Black, you may want to give Bulgari Man in Black a whirl, as they do have notes in common.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, for anyone looking for the best Prada colognes, there are plenty of fantastic options, including those listed above. Our favorite is the Prada Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette (EDT) for its well-balanced and superbly fresh mix of botanicals, amber, and mineral aromas that is easy to wear anytime and anyplace.
However, it’s important to remember that you need to find the perfect Prada fragrance for you. Scent is personal, so the one you select should help you tell your story. That way, you’ll find the best Prada cologne for you, which, in the end, is all that matters.
Let us know which one you end up trying and why!
Looking for more luxury and quality fragrances for men? Check out our in-depth article on:
- Best Armani Colognes
- Best Versace Colognes
- Best Tom Ford Colognes
- Best YSL Colognes
- Best Bond No 9 Colognes
- Best Creed Aventus Clone Colognes
FAQs
Does Prada Cologne Smell Good?
Many people wonder, “What does Prada cologne smell like, and does it smell good?” Ultimately, how a person experiences a fragrance can vary, so while many people undeniably enjoy the scent of Prada colognes, others may prefer something else. Still, if forced to offer an answer, most would agree that Prada cologne does indeed smell nice.
What Is the Newest Prada Cologne?
Prada Luna Rossa Ocean was released in 2023, making it the newest addition to the company’s fragrance line. The scent has magnificent amber and wood notes mixed with warm vanilla, a touch of citrus, and fresh spiciness.
How Long Does Prada Cologne Last?
How long a Prada cologne’s scent lasts can vary depending on the exact fragrance selected, how it’s applied, the time of year, personal body chemistry, activity levels, and many other factors. Most people would say that the average amount of time a Prada cologne’s scent lingers is five to seven hours, but some may remain for up to nine hours.