Everyone knows that women love a great smelling man.
A good cologne can mean the difference between a second date and harsh rejection – so it's essential that every guy knows which fragrances he should invest his money in each year.
Some colognes go in and out of fashion, while others stand the test of time and remain A1 picks for men across the ages.
Today, we're discussing the latter. Read on to discover the 10 timeless colognes women love on a man.
Cologne Women Love #10. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
This is a light, fresh, crisp, clean, aquatic cologne with citrusy notes in the beginning. Some people detect a floral note, which is actually rosewood.
Top Notes: Sicilian mandarin, frozen grapefruit peel, Bergamot, Juniper
Heart Notes: Rosemary, Szechuan pepper, Rosewood
Base notes: Musk wood, Incense, Oakmoss
Season: Spring/summer
Day or night: Day
Formal or casual: Casual
Projection (how far away you can smell it): Moderate – you’ll have a scent cloud for about 4 hours but won’t smell it from too far away
Performance (how long you can smell it for): Moderate, 3-6 hours
Why do women love Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue?
Light Blue smells young, fresh, and energetic and it's a great mood booster. Sweet but not too sweet; it's not going to offend anyone.
Cologne Women Love #9. BVLGARI Man in Black
Man in Black is all about spices, rum and leather. If you like Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb, you'll love this – it's like a drier, smoother Spicebomb with a more mature vibe.
Top Notes: Rum, Cardamom, Cinnamon
Heart Notes: Tuberose, Iris, Leather
Base notes: Benzoin, Tonka bean, Guaiac wood, Black amber
Season: Fall/winter
Day or night: Night
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Moderate. You can throw a thick sweater on and still smell it.
Performance: Long-lasting, 10+ hours
Why do women love BVLGARI Man in Black?
Bvlgari Man in Black is an alpha male fragrance that’s also warm and comforting and sweet in a dark, masculine way. It's sexy, mature, confident and classy, like James Bond.
Cologne Women Love #8. Tom Ford Noir
This is a sophisticated sweet, spicy oriental cologne with flowers and woods. Some men find it too powdery and androgynous; others think it’s very masculine.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Verbena, Caraway, Pink Pepper, Violet
Projection: Black pepper, Nutmeg, Tuscan iris, Geranium, Bulgarian rose, Clary sage
Base notes: Opoponax, Amber, Indonesian patchouli leaf, Vetiver, Civet, Vanilla
Season: Fall/winter
Day or night: Night
Formal or casual: Formal – it’s Tom Ford, so it’s the fragrance equivalent of a great suit.
Projection: Moderate. Don’t overdo it – too much of this and you'll overwhelm people.
Performance: Long-lasting, one spray can last all day.
Why do women love Tom Ford Noir?
The mix of dark notes and rose makes Tom Ford Noir mysterious, sexy, gothic, and romantic.
Cologne Women Love #7. Dolce & Gabbana The One
This sweet, spicy, aromatic oriental is a VERY popular date night and clubbing fragrance. It's masculine and classic.
Top Notes: Grapefruit, Coriander, Basil
Heart Notes: Cardamon, Ginger, Orange Blossom
Base notes: Cedar Wood, Ambergris, Tobacco
Season: Spring, fall, winter
Day or night: Night
Formal or casual: Casual
Projection: Low to moderate. After an hour, it becomes a skin scent (something you can only smell close to your skin.)
Performance: Low to moderate, about 4 hours
Why do women love Dolce & Gabbana The One?
The One is soft, warm, sexy, comforting, gentlemanly, and youthful without being childish. It's a crowd-pleaser – but they may well have smelled it before.
Cologne Women Love #6. Gucci Guilty Eau Pour Homme
When you think Guilty, think of two words: sweet and masculine. This woody aromatic cologne was created as a companion to the women’s perfume Gucci Guilty, but it's an alpha male scent.
Top Notes: Lavender, Lemon
Heart Notes: Orange flower
Base notes: Cedarwood, Patchouli
Season: Spring/summer/fall
Day or night: Both
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Low to moderate
Performance: Moderate, 7-9 hours
Why do women love Gucci Guilty Eau Pour Homme?
Gucci Guilty sends the message “I’m a man, not a boy.” It's dark, mysterious, and romantic rather than sexy. A 2015 Dutch study found that calming scents like lavender increase trust. So if you want her to trust you, spray-on Guilty.
Cologne Women Love #5. Tom Ford Grey Vetiver
Just like it says on the label, you've got vetiver – an earthy aromatic scent – with salty notes, woods and citrus. It smells bright, clean, and sunny but also sophisticated, masculine, mature, and distinguished.
Top Notes: Vetiver, Orange flower, Grapefruit
Middle Notes: Aromatic sage, Orris, Nutmeg
Base Notes: Pimento, Amber woods, Oakmoss
Season: Spring, summer, fall
Day or night: Both
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Moderate – it'll be noticed but it's not overwhelming
Performance: Moderate to long-lasting, 7-9 hours
Why do women love Tom Ford Grey Vetiver?
Tom Ford Grey Vetiver projects the image of a classic sophisticated gentleman. This isn’t a sexy come-hither scent, it’s elegant and classy.
Cologne Women Love #4. Kenneth Cole Mankind Hero
This versatile aromatic woody scent is rugged and masculine. It smells of mountain air and rich woods with black vanilla.
Top Notes: Italian lemon, Coriander seeds
Heart Notes: Plum wood, Lavender, Clary sage, Vanilla
Base notes: Coumarin, Amber woods, White moss, Musks
Season: All
Day or night: Both
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Good, will project about 3 feet for 2.5 hours
Performance: Moderate to long-lasting, 8 hours
Why do women love Kenneth Cole Mankind Hero?
Kenneth Cole Mankind Hero's got the combination of rugged manly outdoorsiness with sexy black vanilla.
Cologne Women Love #3. Salvatore Ferragamo F by Ferragamo Black
This is a spicy aromatic cologne created in 2009 as an elegant and intense evening version of the original F by Ferragamo.
Top Notes: Lavender
Heart Notes: Black Pepper, Coriander
Base notes: Labdanum, Tonka
Season: Spring, summer, fall
Day or night: Night
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Moderate to strong – you can smell it 2-4 feet away.
Performance: Long-lasting, 6-8 hours
Why do women love Salvatore Ferragamo F by Ferragamo Black?
Salvatore Ferragamo F by Ferragamo Black is a powerful ‘bad boy’ fragrance that suggests you wear a black leather jacket, ride a motorbike, and need a good girl to redeem you.
Cologne Women Love #2. John Varvatos Artisan Black
I love John Varvatos. Artisan Black is a longer-lasting, woodier, and muskier take on the classic Artisan. It's full of citrus and neroli – made more masculine by dark notes like patchouli and leather.
Top Notes: Tangerine, Meyer lemon, Italian red-orange, Calypsone
Heart Notes: Murraya flower, Tunisian Neroli, Moroccan orange blossom, Indian Sambac Jasmine absolute, Ginger, Purple ginger, Cardamom absolute, Coriander seed
Base notes: Kephalis, Belambre, Boisiris, Serenolide, Vetiver, Patchouli, Mexican cueramo, Soft leather, Iris Root Absolute
Season: Spring, summer, fall
Day or night: Both (a change from the original Artisan, which was very much a day scent.)
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Low to moderate, dies down after the first hour.
Performance: Moderate, 4-6 hours
Why do women love John Varvatos Artisan Black?
Simple – John Varvatos Artisan Black is dark, rich, sensual, and sexy.
Cologne Women Love #1. Amouage Reflection Man
Top of the list is this great niche cologne. It's a sweet, smooth woody floral musk built from old-fashioned fragrance combinations often found in toiletries, fine-milled soaps, and barbershops. It's been likened to Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Le Male.
Top Notes: Red Pepper Berries, Rosemary, Bitter Orange Leaves
Heart Notes: Orris, Jasmine, Neroli
Base notes: Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vetiver
Season: Spring/summer/fall
Day or night: Both
Formal or casual: Formal
Projection: Powerful – it projects well for up to 4 hours.
Performance: This is what they call a ‘beast mode' cologne – it lasts all day.
Why do women love Amouage Reflection Man?
Amouage Reflection Man is elegant, classy, romantic, old-fashioned, sweet, soft and approachable. Plus the ingredients are really high quality, so it smells natural rather than chemical.
Bonus #1. Gucci Pour Homme II
This is the successor to the original Gucci Pour Homme, which was discontinued. It's elegant and masculine like its predecessor but lighter and brighter – it smells like tea and cinnamon.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Violet leaves
Heart Notes: Pimento, Black tea, Cinnamon
Base notes: Tobacco leaves, Musk, Myrrh, Olivewood
Season: All year, though it's a little spicy for the hottest days and a little weak for the coldest.
Day or night: Both
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Soft to moderate – it becomes a skin scent after 30 minutes.
Performance: Moderate, about 4 hours.
Why do women love Gucci Pour Homme II?
One word: COZY. Gucci Pour Homme II smells like chai tea! She’ll want to wrap herself up in your arms.
Bonus #2. Versace Eros
This sweet fresh vanilla mint fragrance with apple and lemon is well-known as a clubbing scent, but it's actually very versatile.
Top Notes: Mint, Green Apple, Lemon
Heart Notes: Tonka bean, Geranium, Ambroxan
Base notes: Madagascar vanilla, Vetiver, Oakmoss, Virginian cedar, Altas cedar
Season: All
Day or night: Both
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Strong but not overwhelming. If someone is sitting next to you at a table they will smell it.
Performance: Another beast that lasts all day.
Why do women love Versace Eros?
Versace Eros is sexy, youthful, and fun. A 1989 study by Thompson & Lorig showed that women find peppermint and vanilla scents arousing.
Bonus #3. Ermenegildo Zegna Uomo
This one was designed to embody the essence of Italian style. It's a light, fresh, citrusy, woody aromatic, similar to Yves Saint Laurent Homme Libre.
Top Notes: Calabrian bergamot, citruses
Heart Notes: Violet leaves, Violet
Base notes: Vetiver, Cedar, Amber wood
Season: Spring/summer
Day or night: Both, especially day
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Moderate, turns into a skin scent in 3 hours
Performance: Moderate, about 7 hours
Why do women love Ermenegildo Zegna Uomo?
Ermenegildo Zegna Uomo is elegant, summery, and simultaneously classy and ultra-casual – it goes equally well with a business suit or beachwear. If you want a subtle, inoffensive, light, clean, masculine floral, this is your pick.
Bonus #4. Acqua di Parma Colonia Pura
This is a unisex fragrance launched in 2017 as a more modern interpretation of Colonia. The classic Acqua di Parma has top notes of orange and bergamot and white floral middle notes. The base notes of patchouli, musk, and cedarwood make it more masculine than feminine.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Orange, Petitgrain
Heart Notes: Narcissus, Jasmine, Coriander
Base notes: Patchouli, White musk, Cedarwood
Season: Spring/summer
Day or night: Day
Formal or casual: Both
Sillage: Low to moderate
Performance: Moderate, about 4 hours
Why do women love Acqua di Parma Colonia Pura?
Acqua di Parma Colonia Pura is a sunny, uplifting, and calming scent that evokes the image of an old-fashioned gentleman with a more modern twist.
Bonus #5. L’Eau d’Issey
This one's a classic. Created in 1994, it's a woody aquatic citrus fragrance with spicy notes.
Top Notes: Yuzu, Cypress, Coriander, Mandarin, Clary sage, Fresh verbena
Heart Notes: Blue water lily, Nutmeg, Saffron, Bourbon geranium, Ceylonese cinnamon
Base notes: Tobacco, Amber, Musk, Indian sandalwood, Haitian vetiver, Cypriol
Season: Spring/summer
Day or night: Day
Formal or casual: Both
Projection: Moderate to heavy for the first 3 hours, then it sits closer to your skin.
Performance: Moderate to long-lasting, 9+ hours.
Why do women love L’Eau d’Issey?
L'Eau d'Issey is an unusual, unmistakable scent – sophisticated, timeless, elegant, clean, and as minimalist as the bottle.
Bonus #6. Tom Ford Black Orchid
The great thing about TF colognes is their variety, strength and uniqueness. While Tom Ford Black Orchid is technically a designer cologne and not part of his more experimental Private Blend Collection of niche scents, it's still worth mentioning as one of the most distinctive scents on the market.
Women love this scent because it shows a man isn't afraid to dip his toe into typically ‘feminine' accords while still maintaining his masculinity.
As the name would suggest, this scent is a floral scent that's actually considered ‘unisex' (in that it's able to be worn by both men and women).
A man wearing Black Orchid stands out from the crowd as a man in touch with his feminine side. He doesn't come across as lady-like, but he definitely represents a more modern, sensitive man who isn't afraid to try new things.
Top Notes: Truffle, gardenia, black currant, ylang-ylang, jasmine, bergamot, orange, lemon
Heart Notes: Orchid, spices, fruity notes, lotus, jasmine
Base notes: Mexican chocolate, patchouli, vanille, incense, amber, sandalwood, vetiver, musk
Season: Winter
Day or night: Night
Formal or casual: Formal
Projection: Moderate to heavy for the first 5 hours, then it sits closer to your skin.
Performance: Long lasting, 9+ hours.
Feel like upping your scent-style game to the next level? Click here to discover the 11 best colognes to wear during the springtime.
- Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
- BVLGARI Man in Black
- Tom Ford Noir
- Dolce & Gabbana The One
- Gucci Guilty Eau Pour Homme
- Tom Ford Grey Vetiver
- Kenneth Cole Mankind Hero
- Salvatore Ferragamo F by Ferragamo Black
- John Varvatos Artisan Black
- Amouage Reflection Man
Click below to watch the video – 10 Fragrances Women Love!
