The Men’s Colognes You’ll Want for Yourself

By Emily Woodruff, TotalBeauty.com

Whether out of curiosity or necessity, we’ve all stolen a squirt of a male counterpart’s toiletries. A little pilfered shaving cream here, a filched swipe of deodorant there – the bathroom is a communal place, after all.

Then there’s men’s cologne. Maybe it’s because we associate scent with memory, but there’s just something about cologne that makes you want to breathe it in and wrap up in it. And just because it doesn’t look quite as cute as, say, a bee- or flower-adorned Marc Jacobs perfume bottle doesn’t mean it won’t fit into your fragrance repertoire.

“Finding a scent you like has to do with your psychology and how you feel inside,” says Ilias Ermenidis, perfumer for Fermenich, the largest privately owned perfumerie in the world. That means stepping outside the boundaries of gender-based scents, according to Gino Percontino, perfumer at Drom Fragrances.

“For the most part, feminine fragrances are dominated by florals and men’s by fougéres and woods,” says Percontino. So if you love woodsy, fresh or spicy scents, your signature scent is likely hiding behind the men’s cologne counter.

Stumped about where to start? (After all, no woman wants to end up smelling like aftershave.)  Ermenidis filled us in on the best male colognes, based on your preferred scent family. Whether you like citrus, spicy, musky, woody or flowery perfumes, there’s a men’s cologne out there just waiting to stake out a place on your vanity.

Related: 25 Best Perfumes

If you like citrus scents

Traits: athletic, outdoorsy, and energetic

You already wear: Tory Burch by Tory Burch, Clinique Happy, Guerlain Shalimar

If you can’t get enough of citrus scents that make you feel energized – anything with lemon, lemongrass, lime, bergamot or orange – Ermenidis recommends Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme. It’s a light, slightly masculine fragrance with top notes of marine and bergamot. It’ll make you feel like you’re in an orange grove near the sea. Combined with florals, like nasturtium, jasmine and rosemary, and a touch of amber and patchouli, this men’s cologne has a sensual, musky lingering quality that both men and women should appreciate.

Related: 18 Scents for People Who Hate Perfume

If you like floral scents

Traits: feminine, confident, successful

You already wear: Marc Jacobs Daisy, Chloe Love Story, Dior J'Adore

For women who gravitate toward florals that evoke confidence and femininity, the iconic Fahrenheit by Christian Dior might be your best bet, according to Ermenidis’ nose. A truly unique scent, it opens with a hint of gasoline, eventually fading to an intoxicating mix of leather, lavender, honeysuckle and nutmeg. While Ermenidis warns that women trying male scents may want to stay away from “macho” scents that are overpoweringly aromatic, the floral underpinnings of this cologne balance its initially jarring opening notes.

Worried that hints of leather and tobacco will leave you smelling like a hookah lounge? Ben Krigler, fifth-generation perfumer from the legendary House of Krigler fragrance company, says layering a strong male scent with a purely floral scent, like Krigler Schöne Linden, which has notes of violet, camellia, lilac, tuberose and gardenia, will soften the cowboy vibes emitted from traditionally male scents.

Related: 7 New Ways to Wear Perfume

If you like musky scents

Traits: mysterious, alluring, controversial

You already wear: Narciso Rodriguez for Her, Elizabeth and James Nirvana White, Cartier Le Panthére

The woman who favors musky, sensual scents is probably already stealing spritzes of her guy’s cologne on the reg – she’s a thrill-seeker who isn’t afraid to make a statement. Take that affection for male fragrances to the next level: Obsession for Men by Calvin Klein is the perfect starter cologne for a musk-loving, adventurous female, according to Ermenidis. Woody, spicy and aromatic with a strong note of cinnamon, it’s mature, sexy and cozy all at once.

Related: What’s Your Astrological Power Scent

If you like spicy scents

Traits: bold, outspoken, ambitious

You already wear: Thierry Mugler Alien, Nest White Sandalwood, <Calvin Klein Obsession for Women

Does getting a whiff of fresh, artisanal spices take you to your happy place? For you, Ermenidis recommends Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme. The scent is designed to be yin and yang, starting with fresh citrus notes and grounded by nutmeg, saffron, amber tobacco and musk. It’s a bold, yet inoffensive scent that will appeal to those who aren’t afraid to stand out in a crowd.

If you like woody scents

Traits: grounded, warm, unique

You already wear: Estée Lauder Modern Muse, Balenciaga Paris, Hermés Eau de Merveilles

The woody, earthy scent of oak moss, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli attract relaxed, down-to-earth types. For the speak-for-the-trees sort, Ermenidis suggests 3 AM by Sean John. “It has a fluidity that can be easily worn by women,” he says. Thanks to citrus notes, this male fragrance conveys freshness, but it’s rooted in fig and leather notes, which give it a rustic vibe.