The Best Men's Fragrances and Aftershaves to Wear in 2023 (2024)

The Best Men's Fragrances and Aftershaves to Wear in 2023 (1)

Whether you're shopping for a special occasion scent or a daily fragrance to store in your gym bag, there's never a bad time to work out what are the best aftershaves for men. Unfortunately, without the proper help, the world of men's fragrances can be as layered as a pantomime dame and as confusing as the story in a Christopher Nolan movie. Tenet, anyone?

Still, armed with a little know-how, you can pick a fragrance that matches your personality, complements your look and suits any occasion — from parties to weddings, first dates to meeting the in-laws. Your chosen aftershave needn't break the bank either.

Below, we walk you through the most important points to consider when it comes to choosing your fragrance. And, in a bid to pin down the best perfume for men – or, at least narrow your potential options down somewhat – we've picked out 20 of our favourite fragrances across a wide spectrum of scents to help you find your signature bottle, no matter your preferences.

The Difference Between Aftershave, Eau De Toilette, Eau de Parfum, and Cologne

The difference between aftershave, eau de parfum, eau de toilette and cologne is often overlooked. While most blokes use the terms interchangeably when talking about scents, they actually refer to different products with distinct potencies and price points.

Eau de Parfum

Generally the most expensive of the group, eau de parfum can last up to eight hours and contains a concentration of between 15 and 20 per cent perfume oils. It's the most common dilution on the market and is the best option if you're looking for richer, deeper notes. Less is always more.

Eau de Toilette

Packing up to 8% perfume oils, eau de toilette is an ideal option for everyday use. It lasts around six hours, so keep a spare bottle on-hand for a top up if you plan on heading out for a long time. Keep it to your pulse points: neck, wrist and chest.

Cologne

This product has a lower concentration of perfume oils, around 5%. It usually lasts three or four hours and can be reapplied if necessary, but won't deliver the same effects of an eau de parfum or eau de toilette.

Aftershave

Containing between one and 3% perfume oils, aftershave is the weakest option, and will linger for two to three hours. The best aftershave for men is meant to contain moisturising, cooling ingredients like aloe vera, since it's designed to soothe your skin straight after a shave. Aftershave is also used as an umbrella term for 'fragrance'.

How to Choose the Best Aftershave for You

Start with scents you're familiar with and already like. The smell of your daily shampoo, a scented Tom Ford candle your partner gave you or even the fabric conditioner you use when washing your gym kit. The lightest whiff of a fragrance is enough to trigger buried memories, thanks to the 450 receptors connected to the olfactory bulb — your brain's smell centre. If you're still unsure, stick with fragrance families: citrus, fern, floral, oriental and wood.

When testing a new fragrance, spritz it directly on your skin to get a picture of how the aroma interacts with your natural scent. Avoid wearing any potent products on the same day and let the fragrance settle for at least 30 minutes, so all the notes are fully disclosed. Perfumed fragrances are created with top, medium – or 'heart' – and base notes that tend to dissolve relatively equally over time, ensuring the smell remains balanced. The top and medium notes hit the receptors in your nostrils first, followed by base notes that last longer and stick with you.

How to Apply Aftershave

After a shower, spray the fragrance onto your chest while you're still undressed. Then put your shirt or t-shirt on and spritz your neck and shoulders; it'll disperse as you walk. Try not to go overboard, or you'll risk smelling like you've had a fistfight in a perfume shop – moderation is key – and don't rub your wrists together if you apply it there, as it can damage the compounds in the fragrance.

To make sure your scent goes the distance, keep the bottle in the cool, dry environment, avoiding temperature fluctuations and direct sunlight – so, not the windowsill in the bathroom or the dresser above the radiator. Moisture and heat degrade the ingredients rapidly, which kills the scent. If your fragrance has changed smell or colour, or the liquid has become thinner or thicker, it's probably gone off.

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1

Best Sophisticated Fragrance for Men

DIOR Homme Eau de Toilette, 50ml

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Described by its creator François Demachy as having an 'unmistakably virile signature' – take from that what you will – this eau de toilette combines leathery cedar, earthy patchouli and woody vetiver notes for a bold, intense fragrance.

Fragrance notesIntensely woody masculinity
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

2

Best Luxury Perfume for Men

Creed Aventus Eau de Parfum, 50ml

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Launched to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the brand, Aventus is modern and dynamic. Notes of blackcurrant and Italian bergamot are blended with Calville Blanc apples for a sophisticated, rich fragrance. To be worn confidently and applied sparingly.

Fragrance notesPineapple, blackcurrant, apple, bergamot
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

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3

Best Perfume for Men Who Don't like Perfume

ESCENTRIC MOLECULES Molecule 01 30ml

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Dubbed 'the fragrance for those who don't like fragrance', Molecule 01 contains just one ingredient: Iso E Super – a cedar-like, velvety aroma-molecule that doesn't exist anywhere in nature. The entire Escentric Molecules range is designed to meld with the wearer's natural pheromones.

Fragrance notesSubtle, velvety, woody
Fragrance typeEu de toieltte

4

Best Long-Lasting Fragrance for Men

Givenchy Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Toilette Spray, 50ml

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Classics are hard to reimagine, but Givenchy Gentleman eau de toilette is an elegant choice. Floral without being sweet, with fresh pear, warm cardamom and lavender. It's like an unstructured blazer in perfume form: always appropriate, never out of style.

Fragrance notesPear, orris, lavender, leather, Patchouli
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

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5

BEST FRESH FRAGRANCE FOR MEN

LE LABO Baie 19 - Eau de Parfum

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Le Labo is described as the haute couture of the fragrance industry, which explains the price. But what does it smell like? An 'ode to heavy rain after a prolonged dry spell', Baie 19 is fresh and herbaceous with notes of juniper berry, patchouli and green leaves.

Fragrance notesJuniper berry, patchouli and green leaves
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

6

Best Herbaceous Scent For Men

AESOP Tacit Eau de Parfum 50ml

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Crisp, citrusy and green with a herbaceous undercurrent – that'll be the Basil Grand Vert, a type of large-leaved basil – Tacit is inspired by the culture and vegetation of the Mediterranean coastline. It's striking and subtle all at once.

Fragrance notesGrand Vert basil and fresh citrus
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

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7

Best Environmentally-Friendly Fragrance for Men

Laboratory Perfumes Amber Eau de Toilette, 100ml

The Best Men's Fragrances and Aftershaves to Wear in 2023 (18)

Inspired by the British countryside and coast, this environmentally-friendly, cruelty-free fragrance is designed to evolve throughout the day – starting with bright greenery that develops into rich spice before mellowing into earthy wood and balmy ambergris.

Fragrance notesWood and ambergris with grassy, spicy top notes
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

8

Best Strong-Scented Perfume for Men

Guerlain Homme Eau De Parfum 100ml

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With top notes of mojito, lime, mint and bergamot, a middle of riubardo, green tea and pelarganium and a rum, cedar and vetiver base, this Guerlain Homme is a fresh, mysterious and intense scent. The cap features a guilloché detail borrowed from the world of watch-making.

Fragrance notesMojito, lime, mint and bergamot
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

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9

Best Sustainable Fragrance For Men

Calvin Kelin Ck Everyone Eau De Toilette, 200ml

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So you're probably already familiar with CK One, but the latest version of this classic fragrance is vegan, made from naturally-derived alcohol and infused with ingredients derived from natural origins – including ginger, orange oil and blue tea.

Fragrance notesBlue tea, orange oil, cedarwood
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

10

Best Balanced Fragrance For Men

Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace Eau De Toilette, 100ml

The Best Men's Fragrances and Aftershaves to Wear in 2023 (21)

The creation of Belgian designer Martin Margiela, the Replica series looks to capture a moment in time – literally. This one, said to be reminiscent of Chamonix in 1971, is intended as a bottled memory of 'burning wood and chestnut'. It sounds heavy, but orange flower petals, clove oil, vanilla and Peru balsam balance out the heady middle notes.

Fragrance notesCade, cashmeran, chestnut
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

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11

Best Aromatic Fragrance For Men

SISLEY Eau D`Ikar Eau De Toilette Pour Homme, 50ml

The Best Men's Fragrances and Aftershaves to Wear in 2023 (22)

A woody, aromatic fragrance from French luxury beauty brand Sisley. If the bottle, designed by Polish sculptor Bronislaw Krzysztof, wasn't already standout enough, the scent inside is even more compelling. You'll find notes of bergamot, bitter orange, iris, jasmine, white tea, ambergris, vetiver and more.

Fragrance notesLentisk, bitter orange, bergamot, lemon, iris, jasmine, orange pekoe tea, reeds, green cistus, sandalwood, vetiver
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

12

Best Floral Perfume For Men

All Saints Flora Mortis, 100ml

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Black pepper, orchid and amber wood create an enigmatic fragrance from AllSaints that's best described as woody and floral. The bottle is equally edgy, featuring daguerreotypes of orchids on the back.

Fragrance notesBlack pepper, smoky orchid, amberwood
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

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13

Best His & Her's Fragrance For Men

Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Love For Him Eau de Toilette, 90ml

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The understated bottle look great on your shelf, and the citrusy, aromatic scent will turn heads too – with notes of ginger, mandarin, cardamom, juniper-cypress, sandlewood, vetiver and blue sequoia. It has a matching scent for her, 'created as a tribute to modern love'.

Fragrance notesCardamom, juniper, cypress, blue Sequoia
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

14

Best Holiday Perfume For Men

Tom Ford Costa Azzurra Eau de Parfum, 50ml

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Spritzing on this scent feels akin to diving into the crystal-clear water of the Cote D’Azur sea. That's the intention from Tom Ford, who combined zesty lemon, juniper, pine, woody Cypress oil and myrtle to create an irresistibly fresh fragrance.

Fragrance notesCypress oil, oakwood extract and salty amber
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

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15

Best Late Night Scent For Men

Molton Brown Tobacco Absolute Eau de Parfum, 100ml

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Described by its creator Elsa Chabert as 'an olfactory metaphor for Churchill's famous favourites; whisky and tobacco', Tobacco Absolute blends notes of ginger, bergamot, cedarwood, violet, Peruvian balsam and patchouli to deliver a robust, woody scent reminiscent of nutmeg.

Fragrance notesGinger, bergamot, cedarwood, violet, Peruvian balsam and patchouli
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

16

Best Multi-Faceted Fragrance for Men

All Saints Sunset Riot Eau de Parfum Gift Set

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AllSaint's Sunset Riot leads with notes of pink pepper and rose. Orange flower brings a punchy citrus kick that delivers brightness and freshness, balanced with earthy cedarwood undertones for added warmth.

Fragrance notesCedarwood, orange flower, pink pepper
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

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17

Best Classic Perfume For Men

Chanel Bleu de Chanel, 50ml

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From a sophisticated, timeless fashion house: a sophisticated, timeless scent. It's aromatic and woody, with a citrus freshness – you'll find notes of nutmeg, ginger, patchouli, mint, jasmine, grapefruit, incense, cedar and pink pepper.

Fragrance notesNutmeg, ginger, patchouli, mint, jasmine, grapefruit, incense, cedar and pink pepper
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

18

Best Masculine Fragrance for Men

prada Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Toilette 50ml

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Prada's Luna Rossa Ocean is a fragrance of contrasts. The masculine scent mixes refreshing bergamot with the extreme sophistication of vetiver, tonka bean and elegant notes of iris, which means it works whether you're lifting iron at the gym or need something for a special occasion.

Fragrance notesBergamot, iris, vetiver, tonka bean
Fragrance typeEau de toilette

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19

Best Daily Fragrance for Men

Montblanc Legend Eau de Parfum Spray

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With Montblanc Legend you have two options, you could opt for the cheaper eau de toilette or you could go for the eau de parfum, where fresh violet leaves, a floral note of Magnolia and a captivating trail of vibrant wood leather will linger long into the night. We know which we prefer.

Fragrance notesLeather, magnolia, violet leaves
Fragrance typeEau de parfum

20

Best Woody Fragrance For Men

Kiehl's Musk Eau de Toilette, 50ml

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A take on the brand's signature 'Love Oil' – created in the 1920s and reintroduced in 1963 – this warm, gentle fragrance leads with creamy, fresh citrus, followed by rose, ylang-ylang and neroli, and finished with tonka nut and musk (of course).

Fragrance notesCitrus, rose, ylang-ylang, neroli
Fragrance typeEau de toilette
The Best Men's Fragrances and Aftershaves to Wear in 2023 (2024)

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