20 Best Colognes for Men in 2023
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20 Best Colognes for Men That Are Daring and Different

The best fragrances for him, whether he likes something edgy and boisterous or subdued and sultry.

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the 20 best colognes for men that are daring and different
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Scent is visceral, evocative. It's a subtle percept that shapes the blurry edges of social interaction and personal affect. The choice of signature scent can define yourself in the minds of others, and for us men can be among the most impactful means by which we control our presentation. While many men use deodorant as their standalone personal scent, cologne can give that extra flair for the right occasion, leaving people wondering, "What smells so good?" That said, with the massive assemblage of colognes for men on the market, choosing the right fragrance can feel like an iron cage of ceaseless options, and even knowing where to start can feel insurmountable.

That's why we've researched, gotten hands-on with and selected some of the best scents for every man, and every situation. Whether you want to create an air of mystique with a brooding, aquatic scent or subtly cloak yourself in a soothing attar, we've rounded up a wide variety of some of the best colognes of 2023 to walk you through your personal fragrance journey.

Our top picks:

  • 1
    L'Eau d'Issey Eau & Cèdre Eau de Toilette Intense Spray

    Best Overall Cologne for Men

    Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Eau & Cèdre Eau de Toilette Intense Spray

    $110 at Macy's
    Read more
  • 2
    Spice and Black Vanilla

    Best Value Cologne for Men

    CREMO Spice and Black Vanilla

    Read more
  • 3
    Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

    Best Cologne for a Night on the Town

    Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

    Read more
  • 4
    Opus VII Reckless Leather Eau de Parfum

    Best Leather Cologne for Men

    AMOUAGE Opus VII Reckless Leather Eau de Parfum

    Read more
  • 5
    Terre d’Hermès Pure Perfume

    Best Earthy Cologne for Men

    HERMÈS Terre d’Hermès Pure Perfume

    Read more

Whether you're looking for your own new signature fragrance or shopping for a gift he'll love, scroll on to find your perfect cologne.

1
Best Overall Cologne for Men

Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Eau & Cèdre Eau de Toilette Intense Spray

L'Eau d'Issey Eau & Cèdre Eau de Toilette Intense Spray
1
Best Overall Cologne for Men

Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Eau & Cèdre Eau de Toilette Intense Spray

$110 at Macy's$57 at Walmart$37 at Amazon
Credit: Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake's cedar variation on their signature scent carefully treads the line between fresh and musky in a way that makes it favorable to many: In a small internal survey of GH consumer testers of 10 top-selling colognes it was selected as the overall best scent by over 40% of the survey group.

2
Best Value Cologne for Men

CREMO Spice and Black Vanilla

Spice and Black Vanilla
2
Best Value Cologne for Men

CREMO Spice and Black Vanilla

Now 29% Off
Credit: CREMO

There's a reason this cologne has a 4.5-star rating on Walmart and over 450 online customer reviews: its complex, sweet-yet-mature scent is evocative of much more expensive fragrances.

3
Best Cologne for a Night on the Town

Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
3
Best Cologne for a Night on the Town

Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

Credit: Le Labo

Santal 33's unique mixture of organic notes like violet, iris and leather makes for a scent that has become synonymous with New York Fashion Week parties and candlelit downtown bars.

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4
Best Leather Cologne for Men

AMOUAGE Opus VII Reckless Leather Eau de Parfum

Opus VII Reckless Leather Eau de Parfum
4
Best Leather Cologne for Men

AMOUAGE Opus VII Reckless Leather Eau de Parfum

Credit: AMOUAGE

Amouage's distinctive, sometimes unorthodox blends separate them from other fragrance houses, and Opus VII represents their unique taste exactingly with a blend of pink pepper, leather and frankincense. The bottle design compliments its uniqueness by being both modern and antique, like a lost piece of secret ancient technology housing a stately, alluring scent.

5
Best Earthy Cologne for Men

HERMÈS Terre d’Hermès Pure Perfume

Terre d’Hermès Pure Perfume
5
Best Earthy Cologne for Men

HERMÈS Terre d’Hermès Pure Perfume

Credit: HERMÈS

The name "Hermès" is practically interchangeable with opulence, and this cologne showcases the brand's refined palate. Eliciting images of a foreign wilderness with uncommon blends of shiso, benzoin and cedar, it calls to men who are adventurous and refined.

6
Best Bold Cologne for Men

Abercrombie & Fitch Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Perfume

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Perfume
6
Best Bold Cologne for Men

Abercrombie & Fitch Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Perfume

Credit: Abercrombie & Fitch

The unmistakably daring scent of Fierce has given it a divisive reputation — its potent blend of woody base notes and aromatic accords isn't for the faint of heart.

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7
Best Custom Cologne for Men

Olfactory NYC Custom Scent

Custom Scent
7
Best Custom Cologne for Men

Olfactory NYC Custom Scent

Credit: Olfactory NYC

Whereas many custom fragrance services have you take abstract quizzes to try to guess what you'll like, Olfactory NYC works with you to create a custom blend. You can order sample sets of their scents, created by some of the fragrance industry's biggest names and additional tinkerer sets wherein you choose additional accords to customize your fragrance. Once you've settled on a scent from their wide permutation of accord and base combinations, ordering and reordering your scent is a breeze, and you can even get your scent in diffusers and body products.

8
Best Sophisticated Cologne for Men

KILIAN Angels' Share Eau De Parfum

Angels' Share Eau De Parfum
8
Best Sophisticated Cologne for Men

KILIAN Angels' Share Eau De Parfum

Credit: KILIAN

Kilian's cognac-infused fragrance manages a paradox — to be light yet decadent — by incorporating oak, cinnamon and praline.

9
Best Fresh Cologne for Men

Glossier You

You
9
Best Fresh Cologne for Men

Glossier You

Credit: Glossier

The sparkling pink pepper top notes of Glossier's signature fragrance fuse with floral accords and cozy ambrox for a sheer, inviting scent that is fresh yet intimate.

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10
Best Classic Cologne for Men

Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette

Sauvage Eau de Toilette
10
Best Classic Cologne for Men

Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette

Credit: Dior

Where fresh bergamot meets with a dangerous hint of pepper, this Dior cologne has rightfully assumed a spot in the pantheon of men's fragrance for its sharp and sophisticated masculinity.

11
Best Fall Cologne for Men

Maison Margiela REPLICA By the Fireplace

REPLICA By the Fireplace
11
Best Fall Cologne for Men

Maison Margiela REPLICA By the Fireplace

Credit: Maison Margiela

The beckoning warmth of chestnut and clove in this cologne serves as the perfect compliment to colder days and intimate gatherings.

12
Best Nighttime Cologne for Men

CLEAN RESERVE Rain

Rain
12
Best Nighttime Cologne for Men

CLEAN RESERVE Rain

Credit: CLEAN RESERVE

An incredibly faithful recreation of the most desirable aspects of petrichor (the sweet scent of rain on dry soil), Rain fuses crisp cucumber with earthy vetiver and patchouli for a sophisticated and seductive nighttime scent.

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13
Best Warm Cologne for Men

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme

Guilty Pour Homme
13
Best Warm Cologne for Men

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme

Credit: Gucci

In signature fashion of Alessandro Michele's Gucci, Guilty Pour Homme subverts the standard warm cologne by bringing in citrusy, floral notes atop its spice-laden base.

14
Best Luxury Cologne for Men

CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL Eau de Toilette

BLEU DE CHANEL Eau de Toilette
14
Best Luxury Cologne for Men

CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL Eau de Toilette

Credit: CHANEL

Chanel's fragrances are renowned for their sophistication and singularity, and this scent is no different. It offsets arboraceous cedar and sandalwood with unexpected citrus notes for a professional yet approachable finish.

15
Best Fruity Cologne for Men

Calvin Klein Ck One

Ck One
15
Best Fruity Cologne for Men

Calvin Klein Ck One

Credit: Calvin Klein

Equipoising playful notes of papaya and pineapple with green, floral accords, Calvin Klein's much-hyped Ck One evokes jovial fruitiness without being too saccharine.

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16
Best Light Cologne for Men

CLEAN RESERVE Skin

Skin
16
Best Light Cologne for Men

CLEAN RESERVE Skin

Credit: CLEAN RESERVE

Barely there yet unmistakably present, Skin gently cloaks you in a veil of fresh musk and warm vanilla that smells like a your-scent-but-better revelation.

17
Best Summer Cologne for Men

Armani Acqua di Gio Eau de Toilette Pour Homme

Acqua di Gio Eau de Toilette Pour Homme
17
Best Summer Cologne for Men

Armani Acqua di Gio Eau de Toilette Pour Homme

Credit: Armani

Acqua di Gio's crisp citrus accords of lemon, lime and mandarin oranges, along with its sultry undertones of white musk and patchouli, pair perfectly with balmy days and beach getaways.

RELATED: 30 Best Summer Perfumes to Make Your Signature Scent

18
Best Sweet Cologne for Men

TOM FORD Tobacco Vanille

Tobacco Vanille
18
Best Sweet Cologne for Men

TOM FORD Tobacco Vanille

Credit: Tom Ford

Crafted with notes of tobacco leaf, dry fruit and wood sap, Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille packs indulgent sweetness in a suave, cultivated scent.

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19
Best Spicy Cologne for Men

Azzaro The Most Wanted Parfum

The Most Wanted Parfum
19
Best Spicy Cologne for Men

Azzaro The Most Wanted Parfum

Credit: Azzaro

The gun barrel-shaped bottle of this cologne serves as a foreword to this intensely warm fragrance. Spicy red ginger is offset by toffee and bourbon vanilla, creating a scent that exists between fiery and friendly.

20
Best Winter Cologne for Men

Versace Eros Eau de Toilette

Eros Eau de Toilette
20
Best Winter Cologne for Men

Versace Eros Eau de Toilette

Credit: Versace

From the bottle to the eclectic notes of mint, green apple and vetiver, Eros is an ostentatious, fresh-yet-spicy cologne that calls to glittering new year's parties and sharply dressed formals.

Headshot of Nikolas Greenwald
Nikolas Greenwald
Data Engineer

As a data engineer in the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

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