Shopping for perfume can be a daunting task, no more so than when you’re trying to find the best cologne for someone else. Whether you’re partial to notes that fall on the “men’s” side of the fragrance fence or you’re looking for a gift that says “I love you so much I want you to smell nice”, there’s a sea of men’s fragrances out there that can cause a world of confusion.
So, if you’re shopping for a men’s cologne that smells so good you’ll be reaching for it yourself, we’ve done the heavy lifting. Below we’ve rounded up the ELLE team’s favourite masculine scents from airy aquatics, to woody ouds and spicy citrus notes. This is a crafty cologne edit that will see you through gift-giving season and beyond.
And, while these scents are technically “for him,” there are plenty that are worthy of your time and nose, too.
ELLE’s Edit of The Best Men’s Colognes & Fragrances:
- Best Green: Aesop, Hwyl, $225
- Best Aromatic: Elie Saab, L’Homme, $219
- Best Aquatic: BDK Parfums Sel d’Argent, $369
Best Tobacco: Jo Malone London Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense
This cologne is extracted from the sap of the Namibian myrrh and has an intriguing blend of dry and sweet notes that make it perfect for wearing year-round. Dry tobacco notes are layered with warm almond and tonka bean for a smooth finish, while a whisper of lavender and honey gives this scent a sweet, airy aspect that makes it as suitable for wearing in summer as it is for winter.
Best Green Scent: Aesop, Hwyl
In Welsh, “Hwyl” refers to a “restless fervour, motivation and enthusiasm” which makes Hwyl perfect for the adventurous, idiosyncratic man or woman. Inspired by the Hinoki forest of Japan, where native Cypress trees flourish, Hwyl features dark green smoky notes layered over earthy accords of vetiver, oakmoss, sandalwood and thyme. The result is a complex, dark and gunpowder green scent with an energising hint of the wild.
Best Aromatic: Elie Saab, L’Homme
Elie Saab L’Homme is a refined and modern men’s eau de parfum that balances bold freshness with understated warmth. It opens with zesty bergamot and spicy pink pepper, leading into a heart of smoky vetiver and cedarwood, and settles into a base of rich myrrh and patchouli. Enclosed in a sleek, gradient glass bottle, L’Homme evokes a confident, enigmatic masculinity that shifts between light and shadow.
Best Citrus: Bleu de Chanel
Famously what Timothée Chalamet smells like, Bleu de Chanel is a citrus cologne in a league of its own. Bright top notes of grapefruit, lemon, mint and pink pepper give way to a deeper heart of tonka bean, New Caledonian sandalwood and cedarwood. A subtle dash of nutmeg and ginger adds a warm, unexpected twist, elevating this modern classic beyond the everyday.
Best Woody: Vilhelm Parfumerie, Smoke Show
Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Smoke Show is not a cologne to gift your dad for Christmas, because it has a lot of sex appeal. This fine fragrance captures the intimacy and simmering energy of a New York jazz club. Energetic pink pepper and saffron mingle with seductive rose oil and leather, giving Smoke Show an alluring intensity. The hero of Smoke Show is Agarwood, an exceedingly rare note with a magnetic sensuality and unique, bittersweet edge. We guarantee this is a “men’s fragrance” you’ll find yourself reaching for.
Best Minimalist: Escentric Molecules, Molecule 01
The perfect scent for the fragrance-shy or the exacting minimalist, Molecule 01 is a shapeshifter. Composed of a single molecule — Iso E Super — it acts as a scent amplifier rather than a traditional fragrance. On its own, it carries a soft, musky cedarwood note, evoking that just-showered-on-a-beach-holiday feeling: clean, airy and lightly salted, like sea breeze through a forest. Once it meets the skin, it reacts with your natural pheromones to create a subtle, entirely personal scent trail.
Best Mint: Amouage Memoir
Remember The Parent Trap, when Lindsay Lohan recalls her grandfather smelling like “peppermint… and pipe tobacco”? Memoir takes that memory and gives it a mysterious, elevated twist. It opens with a heady blend of wormwood (the key note in absinthe), basil, mint and warm lavender — bewitching and aromatic — before settling down over a base of creamy musk and rose. The result is a resinous sweetness that lingers like the finest mint chocolate. Delicious and addictive, this cologne has well-earned cult status.
Best Spicy: Viktor & Rolf, Spice Bomb
All spice, no sugar. Possibly the most accurately-named scent ever, this straight-talking hand-grenade of a cologne features an explosion of fiery notes including saffron, cinnamon and pink pepper.
Best Aquatic: BDK Parfums Sel d’Argent
BDK Parfums Sel d’Argent captures that moment when the sun hits your skin after a swim — salty, fresh and clean with a radiant heat. Opening with a flash of grapefruit and bergamot softened by sea salt, it settles into a sheer floral heart of orange blossom and ylang-ylang. The dry down is all skin and sun-warmed air, thanks to Iso E Super, cashmeran and ambroxan. A memory of summer bottled this evocative scent is perfect for summers you want to remember.
Best Clean: Acqua di Parma, Colonia
Acqua di Parma Colonia is the gold standard of office scents and embodies many qualities of the best corporate employees — polished, unobtrusive, and efficient. With a bright burst of lemon, bergamot and sweet orange, it opens crisp and clean, like a perfectly pressed shirt. Herbal notes of lavender and rosemary add a tailored sharpness, while a soft, woody base keeps things grounded. It’s never too much — fresh enough to wear daily, elegant enough to make an impression. If your aim is boardroom charm that won’t give your colleagues a migraine, this is it.
Best Floral: Aesop Rōzu
A rose for the thinking man (or woman). Rōzu has a romantic rose and bergamot heart wrapped in the intellectual clarity of a forest breeze with notes of crisp green shiso, sparkling pink pepper and grounding woods like oak moss and tobacco that carry it far from your grandmother’s bouquet. A rugged, outdoorsy and refreshing floral.
