The Best Smelling Men’s Colognes in 2024
This article was published in partnership with Blu Atlas.
Shopping for a new cologne is nearly impossible—especially if you’re doing it online. There are hundreds and hundreds of options from beauty companies, celebrities, and fashion brands—but how do you know which ones you’ll like? Of course, you can always test them in-store, but we’ve learned that some of the best colognes are only available online. For that reason, we’ve decided to give our complete guide to the best smelling men’s colognes in 2024.
Scent can really make or break someone. We all know what a bad smell does—but a good smell on the other hand… It can increase your confidence, boost your mood, and even bring others toward you. Fragrance is a big part of attraction, that’s why so many successful businessmen, actors, and musicians have their own cologne lines. And now, hopefully, you can grab up your own cologne and gain that confidence as well.
The 19 Best Smelling Men’s Colognes in 2023
We tested, researched, and reviewed some of the most popular colognes available on the market and have used this information to compile a list of the best smelling men’s colognes. We’ve picked expensive luxury brand colognes and cheap, versatile options—so, no matter if you’re a fragrance expert looking to build your collection, or a high school teen testing out their first cologne—there’s something here for you.
What’s not to love about Blu Atlas Atlantis? Coming from Blu Atlas, a New York-based men’s skincare brand, this cologne includes all of our favorite things: it smells great, has an impressive projection, is long-lasting, up-to-date with clean beauty standards, and is budget-friendly. Overall, it’s a versatile option that can easily turn into your signature scent.
But you’re probably wondering what Blu Atlas Atlantis smells like. Well, we’ve got an answer. It was inspired by the coastal beaches and jungles in Bali. When you first apply the cologne, you’ll notice notes of bergamot, lemon, and blackcurrant. It’s very citrusy and fresh—like recently washed bedsheets. The middle notes of the cologne are lavender, clary sage, apricot, and peach. Finally, in the base of the fragrance, there are notes of oak moss, ambrette seed, and musk.
We liked the mix of citrus and woodsy scents with Blu Atlas Atlantis. While many other colognes try to achieve the same profile—nothing compares to Blu Atlas at the same price point. When wearing this cologne, we really felt like we were sitting beachside in a tropical jungle—with picturesque whitecaps gently washing over the sand.
Another reason we liked Blu Atlas Atlantis was thanks to their dedication to clean beauty. Their brand is completely free from sulfates, parabens, phthalate, and animal cruelty. Furthermore, we loved their money-back guarantee—meaning you can try this cologne with virtually zero pressure. What’s not to love?
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Calvin Klein Eternity is one of the highest-selling colognes on the market. It’s also a quintessentially youthful scent. Despite the fact that the fragrance was first introduced in 1994, it’s not an old scent at all. To give it a quick description, Calvin Klein Eternity is a zesty green fragrance that begs to be worn on a hot summer day spent with family and friends.
With notes of pineapple, mandarin orange, papaya, bergamot, and lemon, the cologne immediately transports you to a tropical paradise. You’ll be impressed by how fresh it smells—with fruits, flowers, and greens. From there, you will notice notes of freesia, violets, roses, jasmine, and lilies of the valley. Towards the end of the scent, it introduces more traditionally masculine notes like musk, sandalwood, and amber.
Overall, Calvin Klein Eternity is the best fragrance for summer. Thanks to its inexpensive cost, it’s the ideal complement to your previously established cologne collection. With that being said, because of its floral and fruity scent, we don’t think this is the best choice for colder weather.
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Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male is one of our all-time favorite male colognes. Just like Calvin Klein Eternity, it’s another best-seller in the fragrance world. We think this 1995 original is a true masterpiece. It’s designed for the cutting-edge, contemporary man who enjoys going out at night and socializing. Although the scent is relatively versatile, it works best during colder weather—when you’re buried beneath a heavy coat.
Le Male is based on a delicious vanilla that is harmoniously joined with sandalwood musk. It’s both sweet and woodsy. Once the opening notes have calmed, you’ll detect cedar and tonka beans. The aroma then introduces a few spices, with a subtle cardamom and cinnamon undertone. Warm herbs such as artemisia, lavender, and mint are sprinkled on top of the species to finish off the fragrance.
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male is for a distinguished man. We don’t recommend it for the younger crowd or for a first cologne. Rather, this is a confident choice when you really want to make an impression.
Le Male may be worn at any time, although, as we have mentioned, the fall and winter are its best seasons. The scent’s vanilla and cinnamon overtones are reassuring—making it the perfect choice for a date night.
4. Paco Rabanne 1 Million 
1 Million by Paco Rabanne
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Fourth on our list of the best smelling men’s colognes in 2023 is an old classic, Paco Rabanne 1 Million. In fact, this may be a controversial pick among fragrance connoisseurs. This scent has a strong, powerful aroma that not everyone will like. It’s a late-night, going-out, party first, think later scent. We don’t recommend wearing it at the office or at school.
The opening notes of Paco Rabanne 1 Million are powerful. They’re a strong blend of citrus, leather, and rose. With the addition of masculine spices like cinnamon and amber, the front is mellowed out. In the base notes, rosewood helps subdue the sweet overtones.
Paco Rabanne has been around for a very long time. It’s definitely one of the higher-end and more expensive options on our list. It will last for about ten hours and project for three to four. The overall tone of Paco Rabanne 1 Million is young, lively, adventurous, and, that’s right, seductive.
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You could choose Boss Bottled, a classic German cologne, as your new signature cologne. It has a soft fruitiness to it, and is youthful and appealing. We think this fragrance is really adaptable; you may use it for formal, semi-formal, and even romantic occasions.
When you first apply this scent, you’ll notice the rich woodsy aroma that blends with the spice. That comes from the sandalwood, amber, cedar, oakmoss, cinnamon, and oak notes. The scent gradually lessens the spice as you continue to wear it, and it adds notes of apple, plum, bergamot, and lemons—taking a sweet approach.
Overall, the fragrance isn’t the most cutting-edge available; it’s a little old school. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good choice, though—it still made our list of the best smelling men’s colognes in 2023. We just think it’s best suited for someone who likes everything classic—old cars, classic movies, hard rock, and classic cologne.
Boss Bottled performs on par with other comparable, high-end brands. The cologne projects powerfully when you first apply it, and you can expect to receive plenty of compliments. However, it becomes less noticeable and mellows after five to six hours.
6. Bleu de Chanel Parfum 
Bleu de Chanel EDP from Chanel
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The scent of Bleu de Chanel Parfum is warm and earthy. We think that this is an outdoorsman cologne. It’s made for flannel shirts, Patagonia, and spending time with your buddies, encircled around a bonfire. At the same time, this timeless Bleu de Chanel fragrance is sophisticated and could be worn to a business dinner.
The base notes of the fragrance are woodsy. These include Iso E Super, cedar, tonka bean, and sandalwood. Lighter tones of pineapple, pineapple geranium, and lavender counterbalance the strong woodsy smell. Finally, the overtones of the scent are made up of mint, artemisia, bergamot, and lemon zest—changing it into a greener scent.
Bleu de Chanel Parfum lasts for a full seven to eight hours. It will project for about four hours—which is pretty impressive for a cologne. Additionally, Bleu de Chanel Parfum is devoid of any preservatives or animal cruelty.
Of course, these advantages are not free. Compared to many other selections on this list, Bleu de Chanel Parfum is more costly, but it may balance out since you won’t need to apply it as often as some of the cheaper products.
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There are several different Dior Homme fragrance lines available. If you’re new to the cologne world, it might be challenging to decide which scent is best for you. In our opinion, the time-tested Dior Homme Parfum is the most straightforward, versatile, and best-smelling choice.
This perfume has a contemporary scent. It is modern, fresh, and brims with young energy. You’ll detect bergamot, elemi, and pink pepper when you first apply it. Eventually, you’ll start to detect some of the middle notes of patchouli, atlas cedar, and sandalwood-based woods. White musk, vetiver, and Iso E Super serve as the fragrance’s base notes. When these notes come together, the cologne is bright and airy.
Dior Homme Parfum keeps its woodsy and fresh aroma as it dries down. Once it stops projecting, after three to four hours, it becomes muskier. Overall, we think that this smell is very adaptable and can be worn anytime. This is mainly thanks to the flawless musk and fresh balance of woodsy and clean notes.
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Many people are drawn to the perfume Armani Acqua di Giò. Just like Dior Homme Parfum, it is a flexible scent that may be worn practically anytime. However, we think it’s best suited to warmer weather—or at least when the sun’s out. Armani Acqua di Giò is a wonderful option for a novice who wants something unobtrusive and simple to wear in any circumstance.
This fragrance has a lot of zesty tones. Through the initial notes of sea salt, lime, lemon, bergamot, and mandarin orange, allow you to feel like you are taking in the ocean. The fragrance’s middle is composed of a wide range of aromas, including peach, jasmine, hyacinth, rose, nutmeg, and violet. Patchouli, amber, cedar, and oakmoss make up the woodsy texture in the cologne’s base.
We don’t recommend this cologne for anyone who wants to stand out from the crowd. It’s really popular, and plenty of people wear it every day. That doesn’t mean you should stay away from it, though. It is well-liked for a reason—and we think that makes it ideal for a first cologne choice!
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