The 20 Best-Selling Colognes for Men

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Popularity can be a double edged sword. On one hand, things are usually popular for a reason—because they’re good. On the other, when something becomes too popular—or, dare we say, viral—it can be easy to roll your eyes at it. We’re living in an age where rarity is the ultimate flex. But, if you ask us, popularity isn’t a bad thing, especially when it comes to cologne. Sure, colognes become best-sellers because a lot of people buy and wear them. But the thing about fragrance is that it tends to react to your personal chemistry. So, even if you’re wearing the same one as the person beside you, it could smell completely different.

Well, maybe not completely different, but you get the idea. Popular fragrances are known crowd-pleasers, so we like them because they’re easy. We know they’re going to be a hit where others may be more polarizing. Plus, if you’re having a hard time deciding on a cologne to buy, a good place to start is with a best-seller because you at least know it’s likely to smell great. The last thing you want is to shell out for a cologne that you don’t like, right?

All of these fragrances have earned their place on the best-sellers list because they are just that damn good. Whether you’re a collector or a newbie, they deserve a place in your rotation. Don’t turn your nose up at popularity; instead, embrace it with one (or more) of these best-selling colognes.

Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette Spray

The versatility of Bleu is what makes it stand out—and what makes it so dang popular. It’s like all of men’s perfumery’s greatest hits in a bottle: a fresh top, spices in the middle, and a base of wood and musk. It smells great on everyone, and while it’s familiar and identifiable, isn’t going to overpower the room. Think of anywhere you’d want to wear cologne (the answer to that is: everywhere) and Bleu is appropriate.

CK One Eau de Toilette Spray

Until 1995, pretty much all fragrances were marketed to either men or women—and nary the two shall meet. CK One changed all that by billing itself as the first unisex fragrance (whether that is true or not is up for debate). That was a pretty big deal in itself, but what it really did was capture the minimalist vibes of the era with its fresh, citrusy, slightly floral juice that smells clean but also alluring. It’s ideal for warm weather and daytime wear and remains one of the best-selling scents to this day.

Dylan Blue

What sets Dylan Blue apart, and the secret to its popularity, is that yes, it’s a citrus fragrance, but it has a dark side. Calabrian bergamot and grapefruit (plus water notes) give it its fresh “blue” quality at the top, but as it wears on your skin, it settles into deeper notes of amber, incense, musk, and patchouli. It’s a mature take on a fresh cologne that’s masculine, but not too aggressive to wear for pretty much every occasion.

Sauvage Eau de Toilette

Sauvage may just be one of the most popular men’s fragrances of all time and has had the world in a chokehold since it burst onto the market in 2015. It’s instantly identifiable by its mix of a fresh top note and rich, amber wood base with a healthy dose of peppers and spice throughout the entire life of the scent. It launched a thousand copycats and changed the game in terms of what a modern masculine fragrance smells like, blending classic notes in a new and interesting way. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with Sauvage.

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme Eau de Toilette

This zingy 1990s scent retains popularity (and sales) because of the unique mix of herbs and spices (not to mention the sweet yuzu in addition to the classic citrus notes) that turns it into something subtle and elegant. There’s a light touch, which you’d expect from the iconic Japanese designer, that transcends decades and keeps buyers and wearers coming back over and over.

Light Blue Pour Homme Eau de Toilette

So much of what we love about fragrances goes way beyond just the notes and is more about the vibes. You know, the feelings and memories they evoke. And no fragrance captures the feeling of summer better than Light Blue. The crisp, fresh citrus notes give it a bright opening, the herbaceous woodiness of juniper and rosemary evoke nature, and the smooth sexiness of rosewood in the base all work together to evoke days spent outside in the sun, preferably near a body of water. Wear it year round when you want to feel the sun on your face.

Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

Okay, these days Santal 33 has become synonymous with a certain hipster quality, mainly because hipsters were the ones that put it on the map. But the hipness isn’t a bad thing. It’s a damn good—we’d even venture say, amazing—fragrance, and even now that it’s become insanely popular still retains a niche quality. It’s identifiable but also somehow smells slightly different on everyone, which is part of how it keeps its cred in the face of ubiquity. It’s still one of the best daytime wood colognes we’ve ever smelled.

Explorer Eau de Parfum

It’s no surprise that this best-seller has mass appeal. It’s one of the most versatile colognes on this list, perfectly walking the line between confident and subtle. Like many of the fragrances on this list, it opens with a fresh burst of citrus and herbs, then evolves into a cool mix of vetiver, leather, wood, and patchouli. No matter where you’re wearing it, it’s going to be a hit.

Eros Eau de Toilette

Everyone loves a party fragrance. You know the kind. It’s the one you put on before going out on the town to really get the energy flowing (it’s almost better than pregaming). Eros is the epitome of a party scent. It’s bright and crisp, but dries down into sultry vanilla notes that are more skin-sexy than sweet. It’s modern and youthful and, while we definitely recommend wearing it at night, doesn’t need to be relegated to just the club.

Terre d'Hermes Eau de Toilette

This isn’t an old-school cologne by the same measure as some of the others on this list, but there is a timeless quality that makes it stand out—and earns it its popularity. It’s fresh, herbal, and woody with a dash of minerality that makes it feel (and smell) like something you could imagine your grandfather wearing, but that you actually want to wear, too. It’s perfect for spring days, but really can work all year.

The Most Wanted Eau De Parfum Intense

Naming this fragrance Most Wanted was a bit prophetic, seeing as how it went on to become a worldwide best-seller. What makes people gravitate toward it is the warm, spicy, slightly sweet vibe that’s seductive and hot. It’s the kind of scent you wear when you want to make a really great impression, whether you’re on your first date or your thousandth.

Acqua di Gio Pour Homme Eau de Toilette

Can we even write a list about the best-selling men’s colognes without including Acqua di Gio? Throw a brick into a group of guys and you’ll hit one who’s either wearing ADG now or has at one point in his life. It was an instant sensation when it hit counters in 1996 and has shown no signs of decline—mainly because it’s the epitome of what we consider an aquatic fragrance today. Fresh citrus and floral notes mingle with oceanic minerals that are grounded in soft woods to evoke coastal vibes better than almost anything else. It’s versatile, wearable, and, yes, identifiable (in a good way).

1 Million Eau de Toilette

On one hand this is a party scent—a lively mixture of citrus, spices, and woods that’s confidence in a bottle. On the other, it’s surprisingly intimate and leans more into a warm, spicy-sweet territory that invites people to get closer to you (to get a better smell, of course). It’s the kind of fragrance you want to wear in the winter, whether you’re the life of a holiday party or hosting a more laid-back get-together.

Y Eau de Toilette

You’ll notice that many of the best-selling men’s colognes belong to the fresh family and that’s no surprise. Fresh notes like citrus, fruits, and herbs are always going to be crowd-pleasers because they add a zingy energy to fragrances. This popular scent takes it a bit farther with the addition of aldehydes to the top note, which gives it a slightly soapy, barbershop quality that’s subtle and masculine at the same time. Anchored in musk and incense for added depth, this cologne stands out from the crowd in the best way possible.

Hugo Man Eau de Toilette

Just like the strong suits from Hugo Boss, this classic cologne is perfect for the office. It’s has a strong, confident feel from the woody notes and balsam fir at the base that sticks to your skin for hours, but isn’t the kind of thing that’s going to overpower a room when you enter or linger when you leave. The sweetness of apple and clean floral lavender only add to its versatility and help give it a softer quality that’s approachable yet still conveys strength.

Polo Blue Eau de Toilette

At some point in every man’s life, he’s encountered Polo Blue. Blue, or aquatic, fragrances will always be popular among men for the fresh, clean vibes they offer, but Polo’s blend is as special as it is traditional. It begins with a crisp freshness that dries down into a masculine musky wood base, but never loses that clean vibe that we all love so much. It’s a crowd-pleaser no matter what crowd you find yourself in and is appropriate for pretty much every occasion, from closing a deal at the office to an extra-special date night to just running errands on the weekend.

Uomo Born in Roma Eau de Toilette

This one is relatively new to the best-sellers list, but it’s no surprise it fast-tracked its way to the top. It draws on traditionally masculine notes like woods and vetiver with a dash of spice, but brings in a youthful quality with a top note of minerals (think salt). It’s a modern take on a traditionally masculine fragrance that has vibrant vibes no matter how old you are.

Aventus

Creed is a cologne-lover’s cologne brand and Aventus is the gateway. One of the brand’s most iconic fragrances, not to mention one of the most popular men’s colognes in general, this ultra-masculine juice is a little sweet (there are notes of apple, black currant, and pineapple), but also woody, musky, and rich. It walks the line between traditional and modern in a way that makes it wearable for almost every occasion. It’s always appropriate and always statement-making.

Obsession for Men Eau de Toilette

Is this one of the greatest men’s colognes of all time? Judging by sales, and the fact that it’s still going strong since 1986, we’d venture to say yes. Unlike many of the Calvin Klein fragrances we think of today, which we think of for their freshness, this is a deeply layered scent that’s warm and spicy, with notes like cinnamon, coriander, myrrh, nutmeg, and plenty of woods. It’s manly, but not in an aggressive way—more like sitting next to a fire made from logs you chopped yourself.

Cool Water for Men Eau de Toilette

There are plenty of aquatic colognes on this list and one could argue that they wouldn’t be here without Cool Water—the OG aquatic heard round the world. Since its launch in 1988, it’s become a bona fide icon that still enjoys best-seller status decades later. The classic watery cologne opens with a blast of freshness, but dries down to a masculine mix of musk, tobacco, and cedar at the base. We prefer it for day wear—it’s very fresh, after all—but truly, it could be worn anywhere and any time.

How We Picked

Not only have our editors, including our Grooming Editor Garrett Munce and the rest of our style team, spent years testing, spritzing and wearing hundreds of colognes, but we also consulted market research, best-sellers lists, and reviews on reputable e-commerce sites that we (and you) trust.

Why Trust Us

We’re not going to say something is great unless it's actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.

When it comes to fragrance, one of the most important grooming items a man can have, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting scents that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved. Our grooming editor Garrett Munce, along with the rest of the style team, has spent years spritzing, spraying, wearing, and test driving hundreds (thousands!) of colognes and we are confident that these are the best.

Every pick on this list (and our other lists) comes from these years of testing. We know that no two tastes are the same, no two men are the same, and how you want to smell may vary from someone else. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.

You Might Also Like

• Kid Cudi Is All Right

• 16 Best Shoe Organizers For Storing and Displaying Your Kicks