The Best Summer Fragrances For Men, Based On Testing And Expert Advice
While winter scents tend to be intense and heavy, summer colognes and perfumes are light, airy and uplifting, much like the general vibe of the season. The best summer fragrances for men are refreshing and not overbearing or harsh; they have staying power even in warm temperatures. Our top pick overall is Loewe's Agua El, which is both fresh and masculine. If you're looking for an everyday scent, we recommend Jo Malone's Wood Sage And Sea Salt for its woody and mineral notes.
The best summer fragrances are light, airy and uplifting, much like the feelings the season evokes. ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS
A great summer scent conjures the carefree (think beach days, summer breezes, bare feet, evenings outdoors), and doesn't evaporate quickly or change drastically in the heat. After consulting with perfumer and scent expert Sue Phillips about fragrance families, notes and strengths to look for—and personally testing dozens of scents ourselves—we've rounded up the best summer fragrances for men that are fresh and wearable.
Best Summer Fragrance Overall For Men: Loewe Agua El
Best Earthy Summer Fragrance For Men : D.S. & Durga Cowboy Grass
Best Citrus Summer Fragrance For Men: Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
Best Fresh Summer Fragrance For Men: Maison Margiela Replica Sailing Day
Best Woody Summer Fragrance For Men: Acqua Di Gio Parfum
Best Everyday Summer Fragrance For Men: Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt
Best Nighttime Summer Fragrance For Men: Le Labo Thé Noir 29
Best Floral Summer Fragrance For Men: Dries Van Noten Fleur Du Mal
Best Fruity Summer Fragrance For Men: Creed Aventus
Best Fougère Summer Fragrance For Men: Dyptique Eau De Minthé
Neiman Marcus Loewe Agua El
Fragrance family: Fresh | Type: Eau de toilette | Top notes: Yuzu, bergamot, pomelo, tangerine | Heart notes: Granny Smith apple, pineapple, black currant | Base notes: Musk, Virginia cedar, sandalwood, oakmoss | Size: 3.4 ounces
The Loewe Agua line was originally launched in 2009, and although it's a refreshing and appealing scent, it's often overlooked. Agua El is considered a balance of freshness and masculinity—the warmth of cedar and sandalwood complements the sweetness of citrus and the fruitiness of apple and pineapple. If I could pick a scent for my husband to wear every day, this would be it. It's clean without being overpowering, and I never get tired of it.
Fragrance family: Green | Type: Eau de parfum | Top notes: Rosewood, wild thyme, bergamot | Heart notes: Sagebrush, basil, rose otto | Base notes: Vetiver, grass, ambergris | Size: 1.7 ounces
A great scent has the power to transport you to a different place, and in the case of this fragrance, it's the American Wild West. With notes of bergamot, sage and vetiver, D.S. & Durga's Cowboy Grass is a little bit John Wayne and a little bit Pedro Pascal. It's rugged, masculine and earthy, while also being sexy and sophisticated. I like this scent paired with denim and a classic white tee.
Fragrance family: Citrus | Type: Eau de parfum | Top notes: Bergamot, mandarin orange, lemon, bitter orange, lavender, rosemary and myrtle | Heart notes: African orange flower, neroli, jasmine | Base notes: Amber, angelica, ambrette | Size: 1 ounce
This happy, summery scent will make you feel like you're on island time. In typical Tom Ford fashion, this is sensual and elegant, but it's also not overly serious. Its sweet, citrusy layers give it a lighthearted feel, making it an excellent choice for daytime. And if you're a Tom Ford devotee looking for something with woodsy and aquatic notes, the brand's Oud Minerale is worth considering for the warmer months.
Sephora Maison Margiela Replica Sailing Day
Fragrance family: Woody aquatic | Type: Eau de toilette | Top notes: Aquatic accord, aldehydes accord, juniper essence | Heart notes: Coriander essence, iris absolute, rose superessence | Base notes: Red seaweed essence, ambergris accord, ambery wood accord | Size: 3.4 ounces
Maison Margiela's Replica collection is intended to make you 'relive personal memories through scents,' playing on nostalgia. Sailing Day evokes summer breezes and salt air by combining the perfumer's aquatic accord, a synthetic molecule, alongside slightly spicy coriander, salty red seaweed and woody ambergris. And while you probably don't spend your days on the water on your own mega-yacht, this fragrance makes you feel like you deserve one. Spritz this scent on during your next summer Friday or at a beach barbecue with friends.
Fragrance family: Woody aquatic | Type: Parfum | Top notes: Marine notes, bergamot | Heart notes: Clary sage, rosemary | Base notes: Incense, patchouli | Size: 3.4 ounces
Acqua Di Gio has been a mainstay on men's vanities for 25 years, and for good reason. However, this more recently released parfum is slightly more intense, and reviewers say it lasts well on the skin, even when temperatures rise. Bergamot, rosemary and incense notes combine for an overall woody, fresh and aromatic scent.
Sephora Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt
Fragrance family: Fresh aquatic | Type: Eau de toilette | Top notes: Ambrette seeds | Heart notes: Sea salt | Base notes: Sage | Size: 3.4 ounces
Jo Malone's fragrance collection is extensive—they make more than 200—but this one is a bestseller because of its sophisticated, fresh scent that is both mineral and woody. This unisex cologne has a hint of sweetness, which I find pleasant for summer. To note: This scent doesn't last as long as many others, so you will likely need to reapply it more often.
Bloomingdale's Le Labo Thé Noir 29
Fragrance family: Woody citrus | Type: Eau de parfum | Top notes: Bergamot, fig, bay leaves | Heart notes: Cedarwood, vetiver, musk | Base notes: Tobacco, hay | Size: 1.7 ounces
Thé Noir 29 is one of Le Labo's top six core perfumes (yes, it's up there with cult favorite Santal 33), but it skews more masculine than many of their fragrances. It's subtly musky and sensual, without being overpowering or obvious. Add this one to the rotation for date nights and summer events.
Dries Van Noten Dries Van Noten Fleur Du Mal
Fragrance family: Fruity floral | Type: Eau de parfum | Top notes: Peach | Heart notes: Osmanthus, jasmine | Base notes: Suede, amber | Size: 3.4 ounces
While many masculine florals tend to include lavender, rose and iris, this perfume includes middle notes of the osmanthus flower (which is also known as devilwood or American olive) and jasmine. And don't be fooled by the floral classification—this scent is complex and sensual, and it settles into a vaguely animalic finish.
Fragrance family: Fruity chypre | Type: Eau de parfum | Top notes: Lemon, pink pepper, apple, bergamot, black currant | Heart notes: Pineapple, jasmine, patchouli | Base notes: Birch, ambroxan, cedarwood, oakmoss, musk | Size: 1.7 ounces
This iconic, best-selling fragrance gives off an air of confidence, whether you're in the office, on a European vacation or lounging by the pool. The exotic fruitiness is balanced by aromatic birch, cedar and oakmoss. Another popular summer option from Creed is the salty sweet Millesime Imperial.
Dyptique Dyptique Eau De Minthé
Fragrance family: Floral | Type: Eau de parfum | Top notes: Mint, nutmeg | Heart notes: Geranium, rose | Base notes: Patchouli | Size: 2.5 ounces
This is a modern interpretation of a classic fougère fragrance, also known as leafy green floral that's more often found in scents geared towards men. Notes of geranium, mint and patchouli translate to a clean, fresh-from-the-barbershop scent.
At Forbes Vetted, we have written an extensive catalogue of grooming articles, covering topics such as the best electric razors for men and best beard trimmers. The author of this piece, Forbes Vetted beauty and fashion writer Molly Calhoun, personally tested each of these scents. She has written extensively about beauty, covering topics such as the best microcurrent devices and the best shampoos for fine hair.
Deputy editor Jane Sung assigned, edited and oversaw product curation for this story. She leads the beauty and grooming coverage at Forbes Vetted and has more than two decades of experience covering lifestyle topics.
Calhoun also sought the expertise of fragrance expert and perfumer Sue Phillips, who owns NYC-based fragrance boutique Scenterprises.
We began researching the best summer fragrances for men based on the recommendations of our seasoned beauty team and expert insight. To round up the top scents for men, we evaluated options from popular brands such as Tom Ford, Creed, Jo Malone and others. We also sought the expertise of an industry expert.
Calhoun tested and evaluated dozens of fragrances—also consulting male panel testers—to narrow down the top picks for summer.
We know that fragrance choice is extremely personal, so we evaluated scent profiles and longevity to help readers determine the best possible choice for them.
Our list includes timeless and classic summer scents as well as newer options. It also encompasses various fragrance notes, from citrus to floral to woody.
We read and assessed customer reviews as well, only including options that had mostly favorable reviews.
There are several factors to consider when shopping for the best men's summer fragrance. Here's what to look for. Fragrance Families
There are eight main fragrance families, according to scent expert Sue Phillips. They are citrus, floral, fruity, woodsy, fougères/herbaceous, chypres, spicy/vanilla and animalic. However, these are typically condensed into four main olfactory families: fresh, floral, woodsy and spicy.
'In different seasons we typically eat different foods and dress in different fabrics, and it's the same with fragrance,' says Phillips. 'In summer, citrus and fresh scents tend to be more popular. On a hot humid day, you don't want to wear something overly strong, woodsy or spicy that's overpowering.' Because many men want some structure of masculinity in a scent, which is reflected in woodsy and herbal fragrances, woodsy notes are often lightened by being paired with citrus, says Phillips. Application
'Fragrance should be worn on clean, moisturized and unscented skin,' says Phillips. You don't want your fragrance to have to compete with your body lotion or soap. When applying, you don't want to waste it, so 'apply it to all the pulse points where heat will be emanating from you—your wrists, chest, nape of neck,' says Phillips. 'As you perspire, your body heat will diffuse the fragrance.' Longevity And Storage
Perfume is the most concentrated and strongest form of fragrance. Then in order of decreasing strength is eau de parfum, eau de toilette and eau de cologne as the lightest. 'Because there is so much more regulation today, fragrances don't last on the body as long as they used to,' says Phillips. 'What used to last 10-12 hours now only lasts four.'
To keep your expensive investment safe, you should never have fragrance exposed to direct sunlight, heat or cold. Phillips warns never to put it in the refrigerator, either. 'Keep it in a cool, dark place, not directly exposed to sunshine, heat or air conditioning,' she says. Size
Men's fragrances can be expensive, and they often come in a variety of size options. In general, it's best to buy the smallest version possible when purchasing a fragrance as you may tire of it or realize over time that it doesn't work with your body chemistry as well as you'd like. Discovery sets are also a great way to sample multiple scents from a collection before committing to a full-sized version of your favorite.
What Is The Best Fragrance For Men In Summer?> What Is The Best Fragrance For Men In Summer?
It depends on what type of scent profile you prefer, although citrus and fresh scents tend to be most popular. Loewe Agua El, our pick for best men's fragrance overall is a citrusy, masculine scent. For a great nighttime fragrance, Le Labo's Thé Noir 29 features musky and woody notes that are balanced by citrus. For something fruity, try Creed Aventus, an ever-popular, commanding summer fragrance for men.
What Fragrance Notes Are Good For Summer Colognes?> What Fragrance Notes Are Good For Summer Colognes?
Citrus and fresh fragrances are most popular for men in summer, and woody fragrances can be paired with citrus to balance them but also give them a masculine feel. 'In summer, the heat amplifies the evaporation of certain fragrances,' says Phillips. 'If you wear a heavy fragrance, it's going to smell even heavier. Also, sometimes the heat can make lighter notes evaporate more quickly."
What Is The Best Fresh Summer Scent For Men?> What Is The Best Fresh Summer Scent For Men?
Our pick for best fresh summer scent for men is Maison Margiela Replica Sailing Day. We like it for its aquatic, woody and slightly spicy notes.
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