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Afternoon gentlemen; this week, I’ve been trying a new fragrance. A fragrance that, to be honest, I would never have touched with a barge pole if I had never decided to write a blog about perfumes. That is not necessarily because it is a lousy fragrance (far from it); it’s just not my kind of scent. However, this blog is not about me; it’s about YOU, so I will give you my honest opinion and what you can expect from this.
Today I will discuss the ever-popular Diesel Only The Brave EDT (original). So is it a good fragrance worth the money? That would depend on many factors, which I will cover in this article, so let’s get into it.
Appearance
One of the things that stands out about Only The Brave is the bottle itself. The iconic clenched fist gives it somewhat of a cheesy “tough guy” image that, well, is what it is.
As a man well into his 30s, this isn’t something I would naturally gravitate towards, but I can see it appealing to the younger guy who wants to make his mark. I think the Diesel brand would generally appeal to this demographic which is fine. I have previously owned a few pairs of Diesel Jeans, jackets and other items in my 20s, and they have all been of reasonably good quality.
Price and where to buy
Diesel Only The Brave Eau De Toilette is a very commercially successful fragrance and thus very popular, as you can imagine. It was released in 2009, so it has been around for a while and has earned its seat at the table for good reason.
The price can range from around £30 – £100 depending on which size bottle you go for, and there are quite a few. You could start with a small 50-mil bottle and see how you get on with that. Overall, the price is reasonable for what you are getting and would easily pass as a blind buy.
When it comes to getting the best deal, your best bet is almost always the discounters — especially when they’re running coupon codes. And the one that’s never let me down is FragranceX.
They ship worldwide, they only deal in authentic stock, and they’ve got a solid 30-day return policy, which keeps things risk-free.
Prices do move around (sometimes daily, especially during holiday sales), so it’s always worth checking the current deal. 👇
The notes
Top Notes – Amalfi Lemon, Mandarin Orange
Middle Notes – Violet, Virginia Cedar, Coriander
Base Notes – Amber, Leather, Benzoin, French labdanum
My thoughts about the notes
Diesel Only The Brave Eau De Toilette opens with a fresh citrus vibe before proceeding to the base’s amber and woody cedar notes. The Mandarin Orange and Lemon smack you in the face (almost like the clenched fist on the bottle).
In addition to the woody cedar notes, the violet gives it an overall pleasant aromatic feel which is a little powdery (but don’t let that put you off). I am not picking up the leather heart notes here, but that could be my nose. It has an overall herbaceous, spicy freshness and is a decent scent, although it doesn’t exactly blow me away.
This is a synthetic scent, but it still smells pretty good, and I’ll admit it has taken me by surprise. The way in which it has been composed has been for one purpose and one purpose only: to bring in RESULTS. It is, without a doubt, a compliment puller that will get you noticed for the right reasons. If this is important to you, you might want to seriously consider this fragrance.
General thoughts about this scent
Diesel Only The Brave Eau De Toilette is a must-have if you are a younger guy in his late teens or early twenties. I can’t imagine a scenario where a young guy wouldn’t make a good impression with this one. You can still pull it off if you are older, but you would be better off going with something more mature and sophisticated, like Boss Bottled Night. I recently wrote an article on that fragrance that you can read here if you are interested.
This is arguably an iconic fragrance, and I can see why but for me, it isn’t anything out of the ordinary. I suspect it is probably due to my age and the number of fragrances I have smelled over the years (not that I am a snob or anything). Having said that, I do respect it and could see my younger self loving this stuff.
Performance
The performance of Diesel Only The Brave Eau De Toilette is good and has exceeded my expectations. It’s not a room filler, but it will get you noticed; there’s no question about that. It’s quite a loud fragrance with a long lasting strength and will continue to pump out for most of the day, so sillage and longevity are fine.
Want to try this fragrance on your skin?
If you’d prefer to sample it first, these are my two favourite
and most reliable places to get authentic decants:
Application
It would be best if you went easy on the sprays with this one, as it does have the potential to become overpowering, particularly as it does have that synthetic element. I wouldn’t recommend going above four sprays to prevent looking like you are trying too hard. Although if you are in your late teens or early 20s, you probably are trying too hard!
When to wear
Let’s keep it simple, Diesel Only The Brave Eau De Toilette can be worn anytime, but you will get the best results in summer, spring and autumn. Remember, you can wear fresh scents like this in the cold weather, but you absolutely cannot wear warm scents in warm weather, stick with that rule, and you won’t go wrong.
Where to wear
I would argue that this fragrance is NOT “brave” as you are very unlikely to cause a disturbance with this one. It’s inoffensive and easygoing, meaning you can wear it anywhere, including the office, school/college, or when hanging out with the boys. As I mentioned, you will undoubtedly pick up those compliments no matter where you wear it.
General pros and cons
Pros
- Good longevity and projection
- Versatile and can be worn anywhere
- Perfect for late teens / early twenties
- Fantastic compliment puller
- Good for summer, spring and autumn
- Refreshing and pleasant (hard not to like)
- Price is reasonable and good value for money
Cons
- Synthetic and artificial (not too much though)
- Bottle is a bit cheesy
- Can be overpowering if over-sprayed
- Somewhat generic in parts
Should you buy?
Do I recommend Diesel Only The Brave Eau De Toilette? The answer is yes IF you are a younger guy looking for a versatile cologne with a long-lasting strength. It’s pretty good value for money as well.
If you have tried this, let me know your thoughts, as I am always interested to know.
READY TO GRAB THIS FRAGRANCE?
If you’re ready to add this to your collection, here are two reliable places to check:
- FragranceX – usually the best prices, discount codes, and a wide selection. They also ship worldwide.
- Amazon – great if you prefer Prime delivery speed, just make sure to buy from a trusted seller.
👉 Pick the option that works best for you.
No matter where you’re reading from, smell good, spend smart.
WANT TO FAST-TRACK ALL OF THIS STUFF?
I put together The Ultimate Fragrance Cheat Sheet—a no-fluff guide that covers everything from notes and families to shopping smart and applying like a pro.
It’s built for guys who want to smell sharp without overthinking it.