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Best men’s aftershave and fragrances for 2023

Whether you want earthy and rich fragrances, or a summer scent in a bottle, find the best men’s aftershaves with our top picks

Lee Kynaston
Tuesday 16 May 2023 14:35 BST
<p>We sniffed out citrusy notes and florals, warming woody fragrances and fresh fougères </p>

We sniffed out citrusy notes and florals, warming woody fragrances and fresh fougères

Our Top Picks

A man is never properly dressed without a spritz of fragrance. It’s the ultimate finishing touch; the perfect accessory to any outfit, whether it happens to be a tux or a tracksuit. The problem is, with so many fragrances on offer, where do you begin?

Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a men’s fragrance, or a women’s one either. Those “pour homme” and “pour femme” tags are essentially just marketing and the increasing popularity of unisex or genderless fragrances show how much the lines have blurred. Having said that, men’s fragrances have been painstakingly developed to cater for men’s olfactory tastes and expectations, so what better place to start than something created with men in mind?

While you can wear pretty much anything, anywhere, anytime, it’s true to say certain types of fragrance suit certain situations: light, crisp citrusy or “aquatic” ones, for example, are perfect for summer, work or après gym, while heavier, woodier or earthier ones work better for evenings or for dates, when you want to make an impression. From fresh and floral fragrances to amber, musk and spicy notes, our shopping experts have been putting a variety of scents to the test.

How we tested

To put each fragrance through its paces, we applied one at the start of the day to our neck, wrists and chest (the chest being one of the best places for men to apply fragrance), leaving it to develop on the skin throughout the day.

We considered the immediate impact, projection (how far the fragrance can be detected from the skin) and longevity. Since fragrance bottles are often works of art in their own right, we also took appearance into account, along with overall value for money. Keep scrolling for our guide to the best men’s aftershave and fragrances for 2023.

The best men’s aftershave and fragrances for 2023 are:

  • Best overall – Acqua di Parma colonia eau de cologne: £74.60, Sephora.co.uk
  • Best scent for sharing – Jo Malone lime basil and mandarin cologne: £110, Jomalone.co.uk
  • Best bargain buy – Mäurer & Wirtz 4711 eau de cologne: £12.48, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best everyday fragrance – Montblanc legend eau de toilette: £49, Boots.com
  • Best for staying power – Le Labo patchouli 24 eau de parfum: £157, Harveynichols.com

Acqua di Parma colonia eau de cologne

Acqua di Parma colonia indybest.jpg
  • Best: Overall
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Citrus, herbal, floral and woody

It may be over a century old now (it launched in 1916) but this classic Italian cologne from Acqua di Parma hasn’t aged a day. Citrusy, herbal and floral, it’s everything a traditional cologne should be and much more thanks to the addition of warm sandalwood and earthy patchouli. It’s delightfully elegant and understated – making it an excellent daytime fragrance – but has just enough staying power and sexiness in its woody base to make it great for the evening too.

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Tom Ford neroli portofino eau de parfum

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino.png
  • Best: Summer spritz
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Citrus, amber, floral and herbal

A wonderfully summery, exquisitely uplifting blend of Sicilian lemon, bergamot, lavender and amber, neroli portofino’s success lies in its ability to capture a summer’s day on the Italian Rivera and bottle it for use on a rainy day in Ramsbottom. A contemporary take on a traditional cologne, housed in a bottle the colour of the Ligurian sea, it’s like bottled sunshine – though like sunshine, it doesn’t always last as long as you might like, so be prepared to reapply.

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Jo Malone lime basil and mandarin cologne

Jo Malone BM.png
  • Best: Scent for sharing
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Crisp, sweet, citrus and amber

The perfect unisex fragrance for men looking for something that’s clean, crisp and summery but a little different, the addition of basil to this cologne gives it a distinctive, sweet, green and slightly soapy edge, distinguishing it from similar citrus-based scents. Amberwood, meanwhile, gives it depth and good longevity (it lasted over five hours on our skin). Hugely popular with women too – it’s one of Jo Malone’s bestsellers – it’s the perfect scent for sharing.

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Dior eau sauvage eau de toilette

Dior Eau Sauvage.png
  • Best: Sexy citrus scent
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Citrus and floral

Not to be confused with Dior’s current bestseller sauvage, this unbeatably fresh bulletproof classic never dates. Suave as a Sixties-era Bond, it’s been described as one of the great miracles of French perfumery and manages to achieve an innate sensuality that eludes many other citrus fragrances. This might be in part due to the inclusion of a synthetic compound called hedione, which has a citrusy-floral vibe similar to jasmine. Fresh yet sexy and pretty, it’s suitable for guys of any age and it certainly pushed our buttons.

  1. £69 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Mäurer & Wirtz 4711 eau de cologne

4711.png
  • Best: Bargain buy
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Citrus and floral

Launched in 179, this cheap-as-chips summer essential is pretty much the cologne from which all others sprung. It’s a light-as-a-feather blend of citrus fruits, rosemary and lavender and not that far removed in smell from Tom Ford’s spenny neroli portofino. Don’t expect a similar kind of staying power though: it barely lasted an hour on our skin, so be prepared to reapply throughout the day.

  1. £12 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Tom Ford oud wood eau de parfum

Tom Ford Oud.png
  • Best: Mainstream oud
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, smoky and creamy

An enduring – and now iconic – fragrance from Ford’s private blend collection, oud wood takes one of Middle-Eastern perfumery’s most popular and distinctive ingredients, oud wood, and dials down its potency a little, adding rosewood and sandalwood, to make it a little less challenging to the average punter. Intensely woody, smoky and sensual, without being overpowering, it has a lovely, soft creamy finish that hugs the skin.

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Chanel bleu de Chanel parfum spray

Bleu de chanel.png
  • Best: Contemporary classic
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, citrus and spicy

This award-winning scent (it picked up a Best New Prestige Fragrance award at the annual fragrance industry’s Oscars in 2011) is one of Chanel’s bestsellers.

This has a lot to do with its familiar, traditionally masculine mix of woody, citrus and spicy notes which gives versatility and the kind of broad, commercial appeal that makes it perfect for gifting. Projection and longevity on the skin are decent while the bottle – as with all Chanel bottles – is ridiculously simple but impossibly cool.

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Hugo Boss Boss bottled aftershave

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  • Best: Value for money
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, fruity, amber and musk

A true classic and one of the bestselling men’s fragrances ever (it’s sold well over 60 million bottles since its launch back in 1988) this woody, fruity number hits you with fresh, juicy notes of green apple and grapefruit to begin with, but soon develops into a warm woody and sensual scent thanks to sandalwood, amber and musk. Its success lies in the fact that it comes across as sexy but not overtly so, making it a brilliantly wearable, versatile scent for men of pretty much any age.

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Creed aventus eau de parfum

Creed aventus.png
  • Best: Luxury woody scent
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Sweet, woody, floral, musk and creamy

If you’re a newbie to Creed fragrances you could do worse than starting your olfactory adventure with the award-winning aventus. A sweet, woody, fruity number with top notes of blackcurrant, apple and pineapple, a narcotic floral heart of jasmine and rose and a warm, libidinous base of musk, cedarwood and creamy vanilla, it has decent projection and longevity on the skin.

It’s clearly doing something right because, although only just over a decade old, it’s already the company’s bestselling fragrance, with celebrity fans said to include Lil Wayne and David Beckham.

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Loewe solo cedro eau de toilette

Loewe solo cedro.png
  • Best: Fresh and spicy fragrance
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, spicy and aromatic

The Spanish luxury goods brand’s first men’s fragrance dedicated to wood, cedro (Spanish for cedar) is woody, as you might expect, but it’s spicy and aromatic too – piquant enough to hold your attention for several hours, before it mellows and morphs into something surprisingly sexy. We absolutely loved the simplicity and sophistication of the slimline bottle too.

  1. £79 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Hermès terre d’Hermès eau de toilette

Hermès terre d’Hermès eau de toilette.jpg
  • Best: For all-round versatility
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Woody and spicy

We loved this timeless woody/spicy fragrance. Masculine, outdoorsy and superbly versatile, with notes of grapefruit, pink pepper, cedar, vetiver and gunflint (and yes, you can smell that), it’s widely regarded as a modern classic and we can see why.

Fresh enough for day but warm enough for evening, it has a relaxed and understated yet refined elegance, and great staying power on the skin. As the name suggests, its underlying character is earthy but in a mineral, rather than a damp soil, kinda way.

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Roja Parfums vetiver parfum pour homme

Roja.png
  • Best: Luxury fragrance
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Earthy, smoky, leather

At £375 for a 50ml bottle, this superb vetiver fragrance from acclaimed British perfumer Roja Dove is the very definition of exclusivity and luxury. Earthy, smoky and leathery, there’s a beautiful, bold sweetness to this fragrance, but also depth and complexity thanks to a stellar supporting cast including of “green”-smelling galbanum and cedar needles.

It’s elegant, grown-up and sexy and somehow manages to be both hyper-traditional yet delightfully contemporary. Pricey, yes, but one of the very best vetivers we tried and with super-impressive staying power to boot.

  1. £375 from Harrods.com
Prices may vary
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Givency gentleman eau de toilette

Givenchy.png
  • Best: Masculine classic
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, leather and amber

In the same way Abba didn’t need to co-opt current trends for their 2021 comeback, Givenchy gentleman has thumbed its nose at fads for nearly half a century, offering a timeless wood ’n’ leather version of olfactory masculinity.

It might be one of the most famous patchouli fragrances out there, with more of the stuff than a happening at Woodstock, but it’s the leather accord, along with a sensual amber base note, which makes it supremely sexy and helps it swerve hippy territory.

  1. £50 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Le Labo patchouli 24

Le Labo Patchouli.png
  • Best: For staying power
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Smoky and earthy

There are plenty of decent patchouli fragrances out there but for sheer power this one from cult brand Le Labo is unbeatable. Although there’s a big dose of patchouli in there, this potent brew is also intensely smoky and tarry – a bit like a patchouli bonfire.

Its longevity on the skin is seriously impressive. We could smell it on our clothes for days. It’s not cheap but given it only requires a couple of sprays to make its presence known, meaning it’s actually excellent value for money.

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Beaufort fathom V eau de parfum

Fathom V.png
  • Best: For quirkiness
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Rich, mossy, peppery

Boutique fragrance house Beaufort, founded by musician and writer Leo Crabtree Sales, has a reputation for coming up with offbeat creations, and this is no exception. Despite the sea-related name, it’s a rich, deep, mossy fragrance, embracing an intensely earthy smell of wet soil, with accents of gin, black pepper and sea salt.

Dark, mysterious and challenging, it’s like nothing else on the market, and so is perfect for those seeking something quirky, niche and a little experimental. We reckon it’s the kind of fragrance Nick Cave might enjoy.

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Chanel allure homme sport cologne sport spray

Chanel allure sport.png
  • Best: Sport fragrance
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Crisp, fresh, creamy

One spray of this and it’s easy to see why this sport version of allure is widely regarded as one of Chanel’s best fragrances for men. Fresh and citrusy with a bracingly fresh aquatic accord, it’s fresher, crisper and – dare we say it? – better than the original allure, eventually becoming warm, creamy and delicately sensual on the skin. Whether you’re a gym rat or a couch potato, we reckon this deserves a place in any man’s fragrance wardrobe.

  1. £99 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Giorgio Armani acqua di gio eau de toilette

Giorgio armani.png
  • Best: Aquatic fragrance
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Citrus, sweet and salty

Giorgio Armani’s legendary bestseller still smells fabulous a quarter of a century on from its launch. The citrus-meets-saltiness at its core reminds us of the bitter-but-delicious tang of a margarita and it’s perfect for those who like fresh scents but not traditional colognes. It didn’t last quite as long on the skin as some of the other fragrances we tested but that’s a small gripe given how good it smells.

  1. £52 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Paco Rabanne invictus eau de toilette

Paco Robanne invictus indybest.jpg
  • Best: For fragrance newbies
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Crisp, sweet and woody

This fragrance’s enduring popularity with the scent-buying public suggests we’re not alone in appreciating its easy-to-wear marine freshness.

Crisp (with a slightly metallic edge), yet sweet and woody once it matures on the skin, it’s ferociously strong (headache inducingly so if you overdo it) and has the punch, longevity and youthful swagger of something you might wear to a nightclub. The perfect beginner scent for younger guys.

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Dior sauvage parfum

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  • Best: Modern fougère
  • Size: 60ml
  • Scent notes: Fresh, peppery, creamy and musky

This is a bona fide scent phenomenon, with a bottle sold every three seconds. It’s TikTok’s fave men’s fragrance too.

You can see why: one of the most commercial fragrances we tested, it avoids being polarising by taking the structure of a classic fougère and updating it. It’s fresh at first, then peppery and metallic then, after a few hours on the skin, creamy and delicately musky. Groundbreaking and intriguing it is not — but it’s fantastically wearable.

  1. £96 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Gucci guilty pour homme parfum

Gucci guilty pour homme indybest.jpg
  • Best: All-weather fragrance
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, floral, fresh and powdery

The enduring popularity of this woody, aromatic fougère, with its big hit of lavender, orange blossom and lemon and soft, slightly powdery woody base of cedarwood and patchouli, proves you don’t need to feel guilty if you love it.

Commercial and inoffensive, with a pleasant, soapy, barbershop freshness, it makes a fantastic everyday, season-traversing fragrance and is one of those few scents you could buy blind for a gift and the recipient would not be disappointed.

  1. £82 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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Montblanc legend eau de toilette

Montblanc legend indybest.jpg
  • Best: Everyday fragrance
  • Size: 50ml
  • Scent notes: Sweet, floral and fruity

Another aromatic fougère, featuring – as all good fougères should – a big hit of lavender, Montblanc’s best-known fragrance has been on bestsellers list since its launch back in 2011.

Making it stand out is a sweet, floral fruitiness that comes from Pomarose – an ingredient described as smelling somewhere between apple and a rose. Coumarin, meanwhile, gives it a lovely, soft biscuity finish. Longevity and projection are okay rather than amazing, but its versatility as both a day and evening scent is excellent.

  1. £49 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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YSL y for men eau de toilette

YSL Y for men indybest.jpg
  • Best: For fussy teens
  • Size: 60ml
  • Scent notes: Woody, spicy, creamy and herbal

A thoroughly modern fragrance, Y straddles a couple of fragrance families, dodging pigeon holes in the process. While delicately woody and spicy, there are traditional fougère facets there, too, with lavender, geranium and touch of vanilla, but it’s altogether subtler, lighter and airier than we expected.

There’s a lot going on here but the overall effect is dignified and subdued, making it perfect for younger guys who, research shows, prefer to wear fragrance rather than have fragrance wear them.

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Jean Paul Gaultier le male eau de toilette

Jean Paul Gaultier le male indybest.jpg
  • Best: Old-school classic
  • Size: 75ml
  • Scent notes: Sweet, warm and amber

Described as an amber fougère, Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic signature fragrance takes the traditional fougère structure and completely subverts it, adding a massive dose of vanilla, warm, sensual amber and accents of mint, artemisia and orange blossom to create something traditionally masculine and yet... not. Sweet, heady and lingering, it’s as cheeky, imaginative and distinctive as Gaultier himself, and is that rarest, of things: a true modern classic. The bottle, of course, is iconic.

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Maison Francis Kurkdjian l’homme a la rose eau de parfum

Maison Francis Kurkdjian l’homme a la rose indybest.jpg
  • Best: For floral newbies
  • Size: 70ml
  • Scent notes: Citrus, floral and herbal

Francis Kurkdjian, the perfumer behind Jean Paul Gaultier le male (see above), created this lightly floral fragrance as a way to encourage men to experiment, and it’s perfect in that respect because the rose here is downplayed.

Cleverly Kurkdjian uses a sharp, citrusy grapefruit accord, crisp, refreshing green notes and herbaceous sage to prevent the rose from becoming too heady and overpowering, while sensual woods round things out, taking over as the grapefruit and rose fades.

  1. £195 from Harrods.com
Prices may vary
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Czech & Speake no. 88 cologne spray

Czech & Speake no. 88 indybest.jpg
  • Best: Men’s rose scent
  • Size: 100ml
  • Scent notes: Woody and floral

This powerhouse woody floral fragrance from luxury grooming brand Czech & Speake fuses warm sandalwood and vetiver with heady, slightly debauched floral ones, dominated by the instantly recognisable, intoxicating scent of rose.

A little goes an awfully long way and it has the staying power of a marathon runner (it lasted nearly 24 hours on the skin, surviving a morning shower in the process). Not for the fainthearted, for sure, but if you’re looking

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The verdict: Best men’s aftershave and fragrances

Our best overall buy is Acqua di Parma’s colonia eau de cologne for its traditional warm, elegant and earthy scent. Alternatively, try terre d’Hermès – a superbly versatile fragrance that pulls off the tricky feat of being both original and commercial, without being bland. If money’s no object, Tom Ford’s oud wood passes the sophistication test for a perfect evening pick. Finally, Mäurer & Wirtz’s 4711 eau de cologne is a light citrus and floral blend with an affordable price.

Shopping for skincare? We’ve rounded up the best anti-ageing creams for men

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