Best Smelling Cologne for Men 2022
The art of smelling good, gentlemen, is a combination of things.
Apart from clean skin and a splash of cologne, your mood, stress level, diet and the season will all effect your manly “aura.” Science, gentlemen, science.
The quality of a smell or scent depends on the nostrils smelling it, so what works great for some men may not work well for you. If you remember this during your search for the best smelling cologne for men, then you shouldn’t have a problem finding the perfect scent for you.
Below, we will teach you a bit about the different types of fragrances and how to “read” them.
Cologne vs. All of the Other Types of Fragrance
Some of you may already know this, but for those that don’t, we wanted to show you the difference between the various types of fragrances.
- Perfume – Contains 20-30% fragrance
- Eau de Parfum – Contains 15-20% fragrance
- Eau de Toilette – Contains 5-15% fragrance
- Eau de Cologne (or Cologne) – Contains 2-4% fragrance
As you can see, cologne has the least percentage of fragrance inside, which also means that it is the least expensive and will last a shorter amount of time.
This is perfect for men who don’t want to smell like they have bathed in their body spray.
There is a wide range of scents available, so on our list below, you’ll see cologne as well as a few Eau de Toilette sprays because they smell so good. Since your goal is to smell great, we’ll help you find the best scents for men with different concentrations of fragrance!
Top 10 Best Smelling Colognes for Men Table
| Picture | Name | Type & Quantity | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Paul Sebastian By Paul Sebastian For Men. Cologne Spray | Cologne, 4 oz. | $ | 4.6 |
 | 2. Drakkar Noir By Guy Laroche For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray | Cologne, 3.4 oz. | $$ | 4.6 |
 | 3. Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Toilettes Spray | Eau de Toilette, 4.2 oz. | $$$ | 4.5 |
 | 4. Drakkar Noir By Guy Laroche For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray | Cologne, 4 oz. | $$ | 4.5 |
 | 5. Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Toilettes Spray | Eau de Toilette, 4.2 oz. | $$$$ | 4.4 |
 | 6. Ralph Lauren Polo Red Eau de Toilette Spray | Eau de Toilette, 6.7 oz. | $$$$ | 4.4 |
 | 7. Guess Seductive Homme Eau De Toilette Spray | Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Oz. | $ | 4.4 |
 | 8. Mambo by Liz Claiborne for Men, Cologne Spray | Cologne, 3.4 oz. | $ | 4.4 |
 | 9. Curve by Liz Claiborne for Men - 4.2 Ounce Cologne Spray | Cologne, 4.2 oz. | $$ | 4.3 |
 | 10. LUCKY YOU by Liz Claiborne Cologne for Men | Cologne, 3.4 oz. | $ | 4.3 |
What Are Notes?
So what exactly are you smelling when you take a whiff of cologne? Quite a mixture of things, actually.
The initial spray will yield a variety of smells, and as time passes and as you wear it, you will start to detect other scents and smells from the spray that you didn’t smell initially.
These are known as “notes.”
Top notes are what you smell initially, and as soon as these dissipate, you’ll begin to detect the middle notes (a.k.a. heart notes). Lastly, the base notes will make their presence known just as the middle notes fade off.
This is exactly why you shouldn’t judge a cologne based on the initial spray alone!
Trial and Error
We know that some smells are intolerable to one person and adored by another, so there may be times when you catch a whiff of something and want to run the other way.
Other times you might like a scent initially, and then as the middle notes and base notes come out you decide that it’s not as good as you thought.
Trial and error, gentlemen! Spray some cologne on the little test strips and write the names on the back. Take them home and see what you think of them after a few hours.
If you like one in particular, spray a test squirt on your skin so you can familiarize yourself with the smell after a few days. Your mood, stress level, diet, the weather and many other things will affect the way it smells on you.
Top 5 Best Smelling Men’s Cologne Reviews
The following are considered the best smelling colognes for men because so many guys have great success with them, meaning that the cologne (or eau de toilette) works well with their body.
Start out with these and if you find that they don’t work for you, try some of the other great suggestions on our list above.
1. Paul Sebastian 120168
One of the best things about this cologne is that it’s very affordable, so if you aren’t interested in spending a fortune for a scent, then try the PS cologne for men.
It has a manly, aromatic smell, featuring hints of amber, lavender, musk, jasmine, oakmoss, sage, ylang-ylang and rose.
Younger men who are looking for an affordable, sexy, masculine cologne for daily or evening use should give Paul Sebastian a try.
2. Clinique 125901
Clinique is already well known for its skin care and make-up products, so you might be surprised to see that they also have a wonderful men’s cologne.
Happy features top notes of citrus with an ocean-y freshness, followed by middle notes of freesia, lily of the valley, rose and jasmine. Base notes include cedar, guaiac wood, Cyprus and musk.
The citrus and aquatic scents really stand out in this cologne, making it perfect for daytime use when you don’t want an overwhelming scent. As always, give it a try to see if it works well with your body chemistry. It’s surprisingly refreshing!
3. Dolce & Gabbana 103383
For a casual, charming scent, go Italian.
Dolce & Gabbana Light blue is a breezy, refreshing eau de toilette that you’ll love for day use, especially in the warm, summer months.
It has a fruity, floral scent with top notes of Sicilian lemon, apple, cedar with middle notes of bamboo, jasmine and rose.
The scent is polished off with base notes of musk and amber, giving you a light yet manly smell that those around you will love to catch a whiff of.
It’s more expensive, yes, being a famous brand name and with a higher concentration of fragrance, but since so many men around the globe love using it every day, we’re pretty sure that a lot of you will have success with it, too.
4. Guy Laroche 124949
This woody and spicy eau de toilette by Guy Laroche is perfect for night use, especially when the dark days of fall and winter have settled in.
There is quite a range of notes to be detected in this scent, with top notes of mint, citrus, rosemary, lemon verbena, basil and lavender. Spicy!
Middle notes include jasmine, juniper, carnation, cinnamon, coriander, wormwood and angelica followed by very manly, musky base notes consisting of sandalwood, amber, fir, cedar, leather and oakmoss.
It won’t take much of this eau de toilette. A light mist and you’ll have lines of nostrils around the block waiting to inhale your manly, sexy fragrance.
If you like stronger smelling scents, try Drakkar.
5. John Varvatos 134704
This is another eau de toilette that’s worth a try.
While it is most definitely best when used as an evening scent, some also enjoy its spicy musky smell during the day. It’s great in the colder months when our senses awaken to the warm and inviting smells around us.
It has a pleasant mixture of smells, including fig, coriander, sage, plum and citrus.
You’ll also enjoy base notes of cedar and sandalwood, with a dash of cinnamon and pepper.
The biggest problem with this scent is the price tag, and that’s about it.
Try some if you want to avoid the more commonly used brands that thousands of other men use already. It’s elegant, masculine, soft and sensual, perfect for men who need something to reflect their professionalism.
