I want people to smell whatever it is I’m wearing and think about how interesting and different it is. I want some people to fall head over heels for it and others to be on the fence. And sadly, women’s fragrances just don’t embody that sense of intrigue anymore. Instead, perfume houses are keen to rinse the lucrative women’s fragrance market for all it’s worth and release one fail-safe crowd-pleaser after another.
Because of this, I’ve been reaching for men’s fragrances more often than I have women’s in recent years. And no, I’m not talking about the loosely named unisex types. I’m talking about fragrances specifically labeled for men. You see, while so many brands are cashing in on the idea of unisex scents, they also know that the main purchasers of such scents are female. While heady, woody scents heavily appeal to women, sweet and floral scents don’t seem to do so well amongst men.
So as a result of this quest to expand my scent horizons, my men’s fragrance collection is now actually quite impressive. And other beauty editors are in agreement. We’re choosing scents that we love the smell of regardless of the gender that they are marketed too. Ahead, I asked fellow beauty journalists to share the best “men’s” fragrances that they love to wear. Keep scrolling to discover all of the traditionally masculine perfumes we can’t get enough of—from zesty, fresh spritzes to deep, woody parfums.
