18 Best Perfumes For Men In 2023

How To Choose the Best Perfume for You

Think about it: the perfume you wear most often lingers on your clothes and becomes your companion through the good and bad days. Picking your signature scent is not a decision to take lightly. Here are all the factors you should consider:

• How it Makes You Feel. You don’t just wear a cologne to smell good, but also to feel a certain way. What good is a scent that doesn’t help you feel your best in certain situations? Keep that in mind as you sample different fragrances.

1. Blu Atlas Atlantis

This best perfume for men is a unique addition to your fragrance collection and has already garnered a lot of buzz as a fan-favorite scent. Thanks to its ability to bring out your daring inner explorer, Atlantis honors your adventurous side and helps you feel like the most open-minded version of yourself.

It does so with a dynamic blend of fresh and rich notes to keep things interesting. The effect is that of a coastal jungle in Bali, but you don’t need a passport to get there, just a spritz of Blu Atlas Atlantis. Lemon, bergamot, and black currant greet you at the top and melt into a heart of clary sage, lavender, peach, and apricot. This sweet and herbaceous heart then gives way to a sultry base of musk, ambrette seed, orris, oakmoss, and violet. A perfect combo that no description could do justice!

2. Tom Ford Oud Wood

If you want a sensual fragrance that shrouds you in mystery, opt for Tom Ford Oud Wood, a top choice among men since its release in 2007. Many claim that this scent started the oud wood trend. Though plenty of clones are out there, none are as special as the original. While this cologne is strong and should be applied conservatively, it isn’t overbearing and works great for various occasions.

Oud Wood is widely regarded as one of the best colognes of all time, so it definitely should be one of your top choices, especially for date nights. It plays with woods and smoke notes, turning to an irresistible blend of agarwood, Brazilian rosewood, and sandalwood for a creamy earthiness. Cardamom and pepper add a kick of spice for depth, then vanilla, amber, and tonka bean form a warm base.

3. Jo Malone Basil and Neroli

Jo Malone's Basil and Neroli is a great pick if you’re a fan of green floral fragrances, which are delicate, bright, and perform best in warm weather. This cologne is refreshing and elegant, which means it works as well during special events as casual occasions. This scent is an excellent reminder that you don’t need a complex mix of notes for a top fragrance--sometimes simplicity reigns supreme.

You get basil at the head of the fragrance, zesty neroli at the heart, and a musk and vetiver base. This straightforward combination has users calling this perfume “addicting.”

4. Green Irish Tweed by Creed

You probably know Creed by its best-selling fragrance Aventus, but we think the brand Green Irish Tweed is one of the best perfumes for men. If you’ve ever been to Ireland, you’ll understand the feeling this cologne evokes. There a kind of solace you can only find in the green fields of the Irish countryside, which this cologne provides in spades. The result is a freshness that immediately transports you to another place and time, which is probably why this cologne is a favorite among celebrities.

It the top of lemon verbena and iris that instantly catch your attention, then the green, almost melon-like aroma of violet leaf that holds you during the heart of the fragrance. You’ll find ambergris and sandalwood at the base for a clean and dreamy finish.

5. Mäurer and Wirtz 4711

This fragrance was launched in 1792. No, that date isn’t a typo! 4711 is one of the best-known fragrances in the world and continues to stun men with its fresh citrus and aromatic blend. With that, plus its low cost, this cologne truly is a must-have. It packs a nostalgic punch that every man should experience in their lifetime.

Lemon, bergamot, and orange make for a bright and cooling start to the fragrance, soon followed by lavender and rosemary for an enchanting heart. Neroli and petitgrain finish this scent off. There is a reason this cologne has stuck around for so long!

6. Versace Pour Homme

This lighthearted cologne captures the sensation of a summer breeze and is a great option for warm weather. If you like your cologne to make you feel like you’re spending your days on the coast of Italy, Versace Pour Homme is definitely for you.

The uplifting top notes set the scene with bergamot, neroli, and rose. Then a heart of hyacinth, cedar, clary sage, and geranium continues the freshness theme while adding additional dimensions. One of the best parts of this fragrance is the dry down, when the warm base contrasts to the fresher notes from earlier. Tonka bean, musk, and amber, to be specific.

7. CK One

CK One captures the zeitgeist of the 90s and is now making a comeback, solidifying the cologne place on our list. Although the fragrance is billed as unisex, we think it suits men the best thanks to its citrus and woods notes that have universal appeal. This truly is a versatile fragrance, one you can bust out for any occasion in any season with any outfit. A perfect signature scent contender if there ever was one!

The top is an exciting blend of citrus scents, like orange and bergamot that dance with green notes, pineapple, papaya, and cardamom for a distinctive first impression. Then, a floral heart takes over, dousing you in a spring-like blend of lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, violet, rose, and freesia mixed with orris and nutmeg. The base notes shine through at the end of the CK One experience, giving off notes of musk, cedar, sandalwood, oakmoss, green tea, and amber.

8. Dunhill ICON

This modern fragrance from Dunhill is the secret to sophistication and a little pep in your step. It a successful businessman fragrance, although you don’t have to be one to rock it. Pro tip: it pairs best with a suit.

The aromatic fragrance opens on a positive note of neroli, black pepper, and petitgrain. You’ll find more black pepper at the heart, along with lavender, cardamom, juniper berries, and sage for a fun spice mix. The base reveals vetiver, oakmoss, leather, and agarwood for a somewhat formal combination.

9. Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club

The Maison Margiela Replica series is meant to represent different specific experiences. In this case, that a Brooklyn Jazz Club, a hazy, smoky lounge with a speakeasy feel and soft jazz playing in the background… It romantic and artistic and feels absolutely decadent. Definitely one of the best perfumes for men.

Picture this: the experience begins outside the jazz club doors on a rainy New York night. Pink pepper, neroli, and lemon excite you for a night out on the town. When you enter the doors, you’re welcomed by the scent of rum, vetiver, and clary sage. You sit down, order a drink, and the band starts to play. Tobacco leaf, vanilla, and styrax scents keep you company throughout the night.

10. Burberry Touch for Men

Make this your go-to day fragrance when you need to step up your game in the workplace. The fragrance is light enough that you won’t get distracted and bright enough to be an instant refresher to keep your motivation and focus up throughout the day. Touch is also incredibly posh, as with all Burberry scents.

Violet leaf, artemisia, and mandarin orange start off the Burberry Touch experience, then white pepper, cedar, and nutmeg take over in the middle. White musk, tonka, and vetiver await at the base for a smoldering finish.

11. D by Diesel

You may not think you want to smell like a freshly laundered pair of jeans, but trust us when we say you do if it the D by Diesel Version! While this cologne has a fresh aspect, it also comes across as a vanilla fragrance, creating a new take on the classic scent type. This cologne is intoxicating, and with one spray you’ll understand why.

Ginger at the top is both biting and warming and fades to let the cotton and lavender heart shine through. At this point, you get a whiff of denim, although it not so intense that you’ll feel like you’re working retail. Vanilla awaits at the base, pulling you into a sweet embrace for the rest of the day.

12. Kenneth Cole Black

“Timeless” is perhaps an overused word in the fragrance world, but it rings true for Kenneth Cole Black for Men. If you’re looking to exude effortless charisma that gives you sex appeal without making it seem like you care, this is your new favorite cologne.

It all starts with the top notes, a fresh blend of ginger, basil, mandarin, and mint that act as a pick-me-up. Then the seductive heart comes through, with incense, nutmeg, lotus, and woods notes that captivate anyone within a few-foot radius. At the end of the night, you’ll be left with musk, ambergris, suede, and violet leaf for a lasting impression.

13. Loewe 001 Man

If you know anything about men fragrances, you know that woods like sandalwood and cedar are ubiquitous. While both make appearances in this cologne, neither one steals the show. Instead, lighter cyprus and patchouli leaf make up the fragrance's core and create a whole new take on a woody scent. The result is a cologne that almost enigmatic and therefore, entrancing.

Cardamom, mandarin, and orange appear upon first spray but soon fade, allowing an enthralling mix of ambrette, those aforementioned woods, carrot seeds, and vetiver to take over. Patchouli leaf mingles with white musk and violet in the end, producing a sinfully good fragrance.

14. Hugo Green for Men By Hugo Boss

Good thing luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss had a major comeback after filing for bankruptcy in the early 20th century because otherwise, we wouldn’t have scents like the inimitable Hugo Green for Men! This scent encapsulates all of the best aromatic masculine traits and combines them for a real head-turner.

The thrilling scent leads off with pine needles, green apple, basil, rum, mint, and cedar for an invigorating head. Mid notes include cloves, jasmine, lavender, and sage for a satisfying heart, and balsam, moss, sandalwood, suede, and vetiver linger for hours. It the kind of fragrance that performs differently depending on the season, but it is a great choice at any time of year.

15. Godolphin by Parfums de Marly

Godolphin by Parfums de Marly screams manhood from top to bottom and is an excellent choice for men who love leathery scents with a little extra something to them. The unusual name of the fragrance comes from the horse whose descendants went on to win the biggest horse races, so you know it conveys pride and excellence to all those who get a sniff.

Fruits, cypress, thyme, and green notes make for an absorbing head, then rose, orris, and jasmine meet in the heart. The fragrance's base is sumptuous, relying on leather combined with amber, vetiver, cedar, musk and vanilla. Cozy and oh-so-sensual.

16. Chris Collins Danse Sauvage

You like to get a little wild every once in a while, and Danse Sauvage celebrates that. The blend of notes is so seductive it almost erotic, so you may want to avoid this when headed into professional situations. After all, the cologne was inspired by burlesque performances in 1920s Paris!

Cognac, plum, and saffron have an intoxicating effect as they open the scent up. It the heart of pepper, chili, and rose that really does people in, marrying spice and floral notes perfectly. Then cedar, vanilla, and oud create the base of your dreams, in a sultry, magnetic finish.

17. Vince Camuto Terra Eau de Toilette

If you favor original scents that aren’t easily replicated, give Vince Camuto Terra a try. It classified as a Woody Aquatic fragrance--a combination you normally wouldn’t think of. The result is as luxuriant as the bottle would have you believe, while also giving off some bad boy vibes. It the kind of cologne you’d imagine a movie hero wearing as a car explodes in the background and he walks away unscathed, and probably wearing a leather jacket.

The combination of woods, fruit, vanilla, and citrus produces this effect, along with the addition of rhubarb that pushes this best perfume for men over the edge.

18. Byredo Mumbai Noise

You may not think you want to smell like a chaotic traffic scene in the middle of a big Indian city, and this may be true, but you definitely want to smell like Mumbai Noise, even if you don’t know it yet. This cologne from Byredo is packed with exotic notes, sweet scents, and a hint of wood that gives you that same vibrant energy of the streets of Mumbai.

Davana at the top reminds you of dried fruit but with a little extra sweetness, evoking the same pleasure that comes from a whiff of Chai. Then the middle reveals tonka bean and coffee to remind you of the coffee carts on the city streets. The base is where the wood notes appear, enveloping you in the magic of oud, sandalwood, and labdanum. There nothing like it.

Perfume FAQs

What fragrances do women like on men?

Unfortunately, the fragrance someone likes is highly subjective, so it hard to generalize which fragrances women prefer to smell on men. Women are generally attracted to confidence, so go with the fragrance that makes you feel most self-assured. Some women also prefer classically masculine notes, so you may want to opt for colognes that include scents like tobacco, woods notes, or leather. Many women have also confessed to loving lighter, floral, more feminine-type scents, so don’t base your decision only on that!

How do you layer scents?

There are two ways to layer scents: either wearing two different colognes that complement each other or pairing a cologne with scented body products. To combine two different colognes, you’ll want to make sure that there is some overlap. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to pair an oriental scent with a woods scent--unless it totally works! At the base, you should choose the most intense fragrance and follow it up with lighter complementary fragrances.

How often do you need to spray a cologne?

How often you’ll need to reapply depends on the concentration of the cologne you’re wearing and the strong scent you want to be enveloped by. Generally, this will be somewhere around 4-8 hours. If you’re worried about it, bring your fragrance with you to work for a refresher before dinner. When trying to extend your cologne longevity, just avoid spraying your clothes, as some colognes may stain.

Is it okay to wear a unisex fragrance?

Absolutely! In fact, you may even find that you’re drawn to a fragrance that is marketed towards women, and that awesome, too. Unisex fragrances typically combine notes that are considered “masculine” (think tobacco) and notes that are considered “feminine” (think flowers).

Perfume connoisseurs may claim that certain unisex fragrances sway further to one side or the other, but the reality is that they’re designed to smell good on anyone and usually do. Remember that the cologne you wear will smell a little different on you than anyone else thanks to your unique skin oils and body chemistry.

How do you store a fragrance?

Colognes can go bad, so storing your fragrance correctly is important! To keep your fragrance fresh for as long as possible, wait until you’re ready to wear it to break the seal. Keep your perfume in a dark, dry place in its original bottle, and avoid storing it in the bathroom where the temperature fluctuates. Check your cologne for discoloration every once in a while, too!