The 7 Best Colognes for Men Our Beauty Editor Highly Recommends

The best colognes for every type of guy

Although I’m a beauty editor with seven years of experience in the space, I’ll be the first to admit nailing down the perfect gift for a guy can be tricky. Not everyone has the discipline to follow a basic grooming routine, but treating your favorite guy, including a brother, husband, dad, and father figure, to a new cologne for men is a wonderful gift idea.

Hear me out: Research from Harvard shows there’s a relationship between scents and memories, so gifting someone one (or all) of these editor-approved colognes for men will ensure they remember you while living their best life.

Scents are also personable, so I wanted to curate some of the most impressive cologne for men that have come across my desk. Some are so sublime that I am gifting them to my dad, while others are unisex and have made their way onto my fragrance shelves.

Regardless of which options you select, there are impressive olfactory notes for everyone. From beachy and citrus notes that are perfect for someone who winters in Palm Beach to warm and sexy perfumes that will have them dreaming about making new adventures this upcoming holiday season.

To keep it 100: There are some pricier options, but I know what it’s like to ball on a budget, so I also recommended some affordable options that start at just $18 on Amazon.

Michelle Pfeiffer’s entire line of unisex fragrances is incredible, but Jake’s House is our clear winner. Pfeiffer tapped perfumer Pascal Gaurin who created a fantastic everyday scent that combines marine and citrus notes with a touch of honeyed neroli and jasmine for a musky finish.

“I wanted Jake’s House to be the fragrance you reach for to feel fresh and clean. Jake’s House has become a favorite due to its bright, solar signature juxtaposed with sensual musk, crafting a light, freshness quintessential for year-round,” Gaurin says of this creation.

The best part about Henry Rose is being transparent with their ingredient list. The brand even partnered with the Environmental Working Group and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute to ensure every clean scent prioritizes health and safety.

Nearly 102,000 Amazon reviewers can’t be wrong — Nautica’s Voyage cologne is a must-have for any dude who lives an active lifestyle and doesn’t shy away from romance.

It’s crafted for a confident man who is down to rock a fruit-forward scent for a bold and aquatic vibe. Voyage opens up with top notes of green apple and green leaf, followed by base notes of drenched mimosa, sailcloth accord, and water lotus.

Know an outdoorsy guy who loves being one with nature? He’ll appreciate Every Man Jack’s popular Cedarwood cologne that will ensure he smells fantastic without putting strain on your wallet.

This outdoor-inspired scent isn’t overpowering or made with harsh chemicals. Instead, it combines cypress, cedar, citrus peel, and vetiver, for an earthy, invigorating scent.

The packaging is also made with recycled materials in the USA and the brand is B-Corp certified.

My dad is a huge Ralph Lauren fan, and every year my mom and I gift him a new cologne from the brand. Polo Blue is next on our gifting list because it’s a long-lasting parfum with woody and fresh notes that’s perfect for year-round wear.

It opens up with bright notes of mandarin and spicy cardamom and pepper, then transitions into an earthy blend of vetiver, sage, and jasmine. The final base layer boasts smooth and aromatic notes of oakwood and patchouli.

This cologne won’t turn your partner into a Calvin Klein model, but he’ll smell masculine and provocative for your next date night. It combines an enticing combination of mandarin and bergamot with lavender, myrrh, sage, and spices. It ends with base notes of amber, musk, sandalwood, vetiver, and patchouli.

It’s too chilly for an enjoyable trip to the Mediterranean Sea, but Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue can help your giftee smell like the Italian Riviera without a passport. The fresh aromatic scent blends water-inspired notes with local vegetation, including juniper, mandarin, and oakmoss. There are also notes of muskwood and bergamot for a spicy touch.