I Tested More Than 50 Colognes—These Are the Best Fragrances to Buy Now (2024)

SOME DUDES WEAR the same cologne for years and others switch their scent as often as they change their underwear. Whatever camp you fall into, understanding cologne is important but can often feel like trying to learn a foreign language.

Fragrances are often divided into categories like fresh, woody, spicy, and floral. From there, consider the actual notes of the fragrance. Top notes (often light botanicals) are what you smell right away, heart notes are what you smell next, while base notes linger longest on your skin, like deeper woods. In addition, colognes are categorized by how strong they are: eau de cologne, eau de toilette, and eau de parfum (on a scale from lightest to strongest).

Best Colognes for Men

What to Consider

Key Notes

The foundational notes of men’s cologne may never change, but fragrance chemists (real thing!) are updating the classics to build “younger” scents (also a thing!) that smell more modern.

Woods

Woods like sandalwood, cedar, and pine are MVPs of men’s fragrances due to their versatility.

Leather

Leather jackets are a timeless style staple. Same goes for colognes that carry a similar scent.

Fougere

Citrusy, herbal, clean— colognes with a fougère scent conjure up laid- back beach vacations.

Smoke

Smoke notes like birch tar and tobacco are robust and mysterious without being overbearing.

Oud

Oud is a Middle Eastern resin that gives off an intense, earthy aroma.

You don’t have to know any of this to wear and enjoy cologne, but keeping this knowledge in mind can make finding what you do want easier. In the world of fragrance, it’s best to always follow your nose (literally). Whether you’re looking for a new signature scent, a grooming gift, or just want something to add to your grooming and skincare routine, this list is the best place to start.

How We Selected

For the past two years, we consulted with Men's Health's Grooming editors and writers on the top colognes men. Experts including our Grooming Editor, Garrett Munce, and our Deputy Editor of Commerce, Christian Gollayan, tried over 300 men's fragrances and evaluated their ingredients, application, and just how well they smelled after a day of use. We also considered top-reviewed colognes that had at least 100 five-star customer ratings on e-commerce websites that we trust. Read on for our favorite fragrances.

The best boardroom fragrances are bold and authoritative without being too aggressive or off-putting. This strikes just the right balance. Warm, velvety notes of cardamom, amber, and sandalwood—dialed all the way up. It’s intense, but that’s the whole point. It’s spicy and masculine in a way that commands attention but won’t overpower the room (even though it’s extreme).

Some of the best colognes don’t just make you smell good—they transport you. This one is like international travel in a bottle—tropical fruit, paradise garden, exotic spices, and smoky tobacco. Inspired by a mythical garden oasis in the middle of the desert, this cologne opens with a freshness from bergamot and green petitgrain before evolving into a swirl of exotic spices and then settling into a smooth amber note. It calls to mind spice markets, desert sun and exotic plants–the kind you’d encounter on an especially far-flung vacation. Apply this whenever you’re seized with wanderlust.

At first spray, you’ll smell fresh citrus. But as it dries, you’ll find a powerful earthy-woodsy base. It’s a solid, well-balanced cologne if you’re not sure you’re a cologne guy. Known for simple, straightforward fragrances, Jo Malone is ideal for guys who want to smell great, but also want something a little more subtle that won’t overpower the room. They’re the ultimate lean-in-closer scents because they’re more about scenting your skin than the air around you. This one, while on the bolder side of what they do, still fits that bill and is incredibly wearable even for a bolder fragrance. Whether you’re just starting your cologne journey or you’re already a collector, this one is a best bet.

This bold scent may have shades of the classic Noir, but it’s definitely not your dad’s Drakkar. This new version is tempered and modernized with botanicals like sage and bergamot and a subtle suede note. It’s attention-grabbing but not in-your-face. Perhaps the best thing about it is the longevity, which lasts for hours on your skin, so you can enjoy the bold scent without the need to reapply frequently. In fact, we found that a few sprays in the morning was enough to keep us smelling great until nightfall and as the cologne developed on our skin it became deeper and sexier.

This fragrance is an icon for a reason—it’s just plain good. The fresh, luxurious mix of grapefruit, cedar and sandalwood is masculine without being in-your-face and ideal to wear during the day when you want something a little more subtle. That essential combination is what makes it one of the top selling men’s fragrances in the world. It’s also extremely versatile and, while ideal for daytime, isn’t out of place if you wear it at night. Especially if you let it dry down a bit so the freshness dissipates and the warmer sandalwood notes emerge on your skin. It’s one of those colognes that evolves throughout the day yet still stays identifiable. It won’t create a cloud of fragrance around you, but still leaves an impression.

When you think of aquatic scents, you typically think of notes like citrus, driftwood, and salty, mineraly notes that mimic seawater. This surprising cologne, however, flips that idea on its head. Inspired by Adriatic islands, there are notes of olive oil, fig, pine needles, cypress and wild herbs. You still have a wet, oceanic quality that gives it an aquatic nature, but without citrus, the effect is earthier and more grounded, not to mention long lasting and way more sophisticated. If you love fresh colognes but want to elevate your game, this one is for you.

Margiela’s Replica fragrances are designed to not just smell good, but capture a vibe–and this one is no exception. The infusion of oud wood, leather, smoke and crackling black pepper instantly transports you to sitting around a crackling fire, the sky ablaze with stars above you. It’s deep and layered, the type of cologne that invites people to get closer to you, and the inclusion of oud adds an air of masculine sophistication that makes it an ideal date night cologne. Compared to other oud-forward scents, this one is both identifiable as oud (i.e. elegant and sexy) but isn’t so overpowering that it’s going to leave a trail of cologne wherever you go.

Inspired by a garden after it’s rained, this new take on freshness is heavy on the green without the addition of citrus, which could overpower the more subtle vibe of this juice. You’ll also find a hint of juicy pear, which adds a little bit of sweetness but also has a cooling effect that only adds to the freshness. There’s also a note called Physcool, which is like a chill, minty note that physically reacts to the moisture on your skin and gives this a zingy, tingle to drive home the fresh vibe. It’s a new and modern take on freshness that’s versatile and appropriate for anything and every guy.

The star of the show in this uber masculine cologne is vetiver, which shines through with a grassy, woody, herbal flare through the entire concoction. Combined with notes of sagebrush, grass, and wild thyme, a spray of this instantly calls to mind wide open plains, sun-crisped wild plants and exploration on horseback. It’s somehow a literal cowboy scent while also being modern and sophisticated enough to wear everyday wherever you are - no horse required. Wear this whenever you feel the outdoors calling.