Finding the right fragrance is something of a journey; one that starts out prescriptive and ends up being personal. For most guys, the beginning of one’s fragrance journey does not start out with any of the scents touted as one of the best colognes for men. Nor does it begin within the rarefied walls of a niche perfumery, or even at the fragrance counter of your local department store. No, for most guys, our initiation into the world of scent occurs within the hallowed halls of the boy’s locker room, surrounded by fellow shirtless adolescents laying the body spray on thick; clouds of Lynx and Axe body spray permeating the air. At this stage of early adolescence, one is hardly going to introduce a Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club or Guerlain Vétiver into the mix — instead, the status quo is the way to go.
Cut to a couple years later and you’re likely to truly embark on finding ‘the one’… or one of many. The journey to finding the best cologne for men—or at least the right scent for you—is something of a dance; a two-step with well-known designer brands like Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Dior, Chanel, Givenchy, Giorgio Armani, and perhaps even Tom Ford before a tango with luxury perfume houses such as Creed, Acqua di Parma, Penhaligons, and Jo Malone London. Before you know it, you’ll be spritzing Parfums de Marly, Amouage, and Initio Parfums with reckless abandon.
Related: How To Find Your Signature Scent
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Everyone has to start somewhere and the best colognes for men run the gamut from instantly recognisable designer names to under-the-radar indie brands, as well as from affordable gems to those with price tags equivalent to a week’s rent. Now while fragrance is inherently personal, both from a preference perspective and also due to its distinctly unique interaction with each person’s body chemistry, it’s still possible to narrow down your favourites. Whether you’re into the heady scent of oud and woods, favour lighter fragrances which lean verdant or fresh, or are partial to the warm, dry qualities of chypre fragrances, our roundup of the best colognes and fragrances for men has something for every olfactive preference.
The best fragrances for men
Whether you’re into earthy, woodsy, citrus, or fruity fragrances, these men’s fragrances are sure to deliver an enjoyable olfactory experience.
1. Guerlain Vétiver
Price: $180AUD
Fresh yet masculine, Vétiver is one of the best Guerlain men’s fragrances of all time. Initially launched in 1961 before being reintroduced in 2000, Vétiver has top notes of citrus, with bergamot, lemon, and a slightly salty medicinal iodinic tinge, tempered by spices like black pepper and nutmeg which give way to undertones of vetiver, leather, tonka bean, and tobacco. Wearing Guerlain’s Vétiver kind of feels like smoking a pipe in the forest after the rain, but in the best possible way.
Editor’s note: Guerlain Vétiver comes in both eau de toilette (EDT) and eau de parfum (EDP) forms. The EDT is the original and the one we’re recommending here.
Brand: Guerlain
Scent notes: bergamot, orange, lemon, pepper, nutmeg, vetiver, tonka bean, tobacco
Related: Vetiver Is The Elegantly Masculine Scent Note You Need To Know About
2. Valentino Born In Roma Uomo Green Stravaganza
Price: from $119AUD
The best fougère fragrances exude elegant masculinity, with their combination of citrus, aromatic botanicals, and earthy, woody base notes contributing to an intoxicating interpretation of ferns and other verdant plants. Valentino Born In Roma Uomo Green Stravaganza offers up a unique take on the fougère fragrance family, eschewing heart notes of lavender in favour of the additive aroma of coffee. Top notes of bergamot create a sparkling, fresh citrus opening, which intermingles with the aforementioned coffee accord to create an unexpected scent. On the dry down, the dry earthy notes of vetiver are revealed, lingering on skin and clothes for hours. Simple in its execution, it’s irresistible on the skin.
Brand: Valentino
Scent notes: bergamot, coffee, vetiver
3. Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace
Price: from $115AUD
In a few short years, Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrances have gone from being under-the-radar to a social media phenomenon. However, it’s got the goods—or should we say, notes—to back it up. Each scent is designed to evoke a certain time and place, with Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace conjuring up the warmth, woodiness, and smokiness of a roaring fire with spices of clove and chestnut which meet vanilla sweetness and burning, slightly charred woods. A warming, intoxicating fragrance, it’s one of our favourite colognes for men to wear during fall or winter.
Brand: Maison Margiela
Scent notes: pink pepper, orange flower , clove oil, chestnut accord, gaïac wood oil, cade oil, vanilla accord, balsam, cashmeran
4. Parfums de Marly Greenley
Price: from $398AUD
Niche French fragrance house Parfums de Marly knows how to craft an evocative scent. While there’s no shortage of green, verdant scents on the market, Parfums de Marly Greenley is one of the most addictive. A vibrant burst of juicy green apple is complemented by woody and slightly herbal, soapy notes. One for the warmer months, it’s masculine in an assured, quietly confident way.
Brand: Parfums de Marly
Scent notes: bergamot, mandarin, green apple, cashmere wood, cedarwood, petitgrain, violet, pomarose, oakmoss, musk, amberwood
5. Creed Aventus Eau de Parfum
Price: from $369AUD
Renowned English perfume house Creed has been creating beautiful scents for over two centuries. A sophisticated blend for the discerning gent, Creed Aventus EDP is not for the faint-hearted, with the fragrance designed to celebrate strength, power, and success. With fruity top notes of blackcurrant and bergamot, underscored with roses, jasmine, patchouli, and an ambergris, oak, and musk base; Creed Aventus EDP is sure to leave an impression.
Brand: Creed
Scent notes: blackcurrant, bergamot, apples, pineapple, roses, dry birch, jasmine, musk, oak moss, ambergris, vanilla
6. Calvin Klein CK Everyone
Price: from $49.99AUD
A unisex iteration of the cult scent CK One, CK Everyone is a classic in the making. One of the best affordable colognes for men, CK Everyone is a fresh, citrusy, woodsy scent, opening with notes of orange essential oil and ginger which make way for blue tea accord, and end in cedarwood, patchouli, and amber. Touted as Calvin Klein’s first ‘clean’ fragrance, it’s made with naturally derived alcohol and botanical extracts, with its light, fresh, crisp notes making it the perfect crowd pleasing office fragrance.
Brand: Calvin Klein
Scent notes: orange, ginger, blue tea accord, cedarwood, patchouli, amber
7. Penhaligon’s Halfeti Leather
Price: from $410AUD
A truly transportive fragrance, Penhaligon’s Halfeti Leather is a prime example of a leather fragrance done right. Rich gourmand notes of rum- or brandy-soaked plums are underscored by spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, and ginger as well as heady rose and lavender. A base of leather, oud, and incense works to transport the wearer to an Arabic bazaar. Intoxicating without being overwhelming, it’s a decidedly masculine fragrance.
Brand: Penhaligon’s
Scent notes: bergamot, cardamom, citrus, green notes, lavender, plum, caraway, jasmine, nutmeg, rose, violet, oud, cinnamon, incense, leather, patchouli
8. Dior Sauvage
Price: from $138AUD
Ok, so pretty much every guy these days has sported Dior Sauvage at some point. However it’s ubiquitous for a reason, with its nature-inspired notes of bergamot, pepper, lavender, and vetiver striking the ideal balance between warm and fresh, while base notes of ambroxan and woods add an intoxicating intensity into the mix. Impactful without being overpowering, it’s a safe bet for any guy looking to buy his first ‘real’ (read: non-Lynx) fragrance.
Editor’s note: Dior Sauvage comes in both eau de toilette (EDT) and eau de parfum (EDP) forms. The EDT is the one we’re recommending here.
Brand: Dior
Scent notes: bergamot, pepper, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, geranium, elemi, ambroxan, cedarwood
9. Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur
Price: from $134AUD
Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele teamed up with master perfumer Alberto Morillas to create the Italian luxury fashion house’s first genderless scent. The resulting formulation has created its own olfactory category, ‘mineral aromatic’, a combination of airy, musky, transparent, easy to wear notes. Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur combines Roman chamomile with Indian jasmine petals, musk, cedarwood, sandalwood, and a hint of vanilla for an irresistible sensory experience. More of a skin scent than a heavy hitter, it has a light, hazy quality about it that’s warm and comforting to both the wearer and those in your bubble.
Brand: Gucci
Scent notes: Roman chamomile, Indian coral jasmine petals, musk, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla
Related: Why Unisex Scent Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur Smells Good On Everyone
10. Flâner Fragrances Yakisugi Wood
Price: from $159AUD
Australian niche perfume house Flâner Fragrances has quickly become one of our favourite brands for evocative scents. Nodding to an age old form of wood preservation used in Japan (which sees cedarwood being charred to waterproof it), Yakisugi Wood sees lavender and sage open up to reveal a cocktail of woods, with teak, buddha, and cedarwood intermingling with vetiver, tobacco, and musk to create a warm, grounding scent. One for the strong yet silent types.
Brand: Flâner Fragrances
Scent notes: lavender, sage, elemi, teak wood, buddha wood, angelica root, blue cypress, vetiver, cedarwood, tobacco, musk, olibanum
Related: The Best Woody Fragrances Embody Subtle Masculinity
11. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille
Price: from $265AUD
Now, we need to thank former boy band member Harry Styles for introducing us to this one. Inspired by the eponymous American designer’s love of London, Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is reminiscent of an English Gentleman’s club. Exuding old world opulence while still retaining a decidedly contemporary tone, it sees the warm, dry, almost bitter smell of tobacco attenuated by the sweetness of tonka bean, vanilla, cacao, and woods to form an irresistible fragrance that’s just as addictive—yet patently less harmful—than smoking itself.
Brand: Tom Ford
Scent notes: tobacco leaf, tonka bean, vanilla, cacao, dry fruit accords, sweet wood
12. Tiffany & Co Love for Him
Price: from $125AUD
Tiffany & Co Love for Him marks the first masculine scent to be released by the American jeweller. A refined woody citrus scent, this smells expensive. Bright juniper, mandarin, and cardamom intermingle with blue sequoia, sandalwood, and vetiver to create a clean, aquatic, slightly soapy scent that is an ideal summer cologne for men.
Brand: Tiffany & Co.
Scent notes: juniper, cyprus, mandarin, ginger, cardamom, vetiver, sandalwood
What’s the difference between aftershave, cologne, eau de toilette, and eau de parfum for men?
While many men use the terms eau de parfum (EDP), eau de toilette (EDT), cologne, and aftershave interchangeably, these all refer to completely different products. That said, due to the ubiquity of the term ‘cologne’ being used to colloquially refer to fragrances, we’ve also adopted this nomenclature throughout this article, with our best colognes for men spanning eau de parfumes, eau de toilettes, and eau de colognes.
- Typically the most expensive of the lot, a men’s eau de parfum has the highest concentration of perfume oil, at 15% to 20%. Eau de parfums have the most staying power (lasting around half a day), and are the best option for richer, deeper fragrance notes.
- With up to 15% perfume oil, an eau de toilette lasts for up to eight hours and is an ideal option for everyday use – just be sure to keep a bottle on hand for a top up as the day wears on!
- A cologne, or eau de cologne, has a perfume oil concentration of 2% to 5% that is cut with alcohol and lasts for a few hours (around two to four).
Although men often refer to fragrance as ‘aftershave’, aftershave is for just that; freshening up post-shave. Often sold as splash, aftershave has a very low perfume oil content, around 1% to 2%, making it safe to splash on your face after shaving. The scent of aftershave lasts for a couple of hours, with the formulas often containing soothing ingredients like aloe vera and glycerin to help heal and moisturise the skin.
Related: The Best Men’s Aftershaves To Soothe Your Post-Shave Skin
Words by Theo Rosen
