The 12 Best Summer Colognes for Men

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

There’s no shame in going through life with the same cologne; they’re called signature scents for a reason. But if you’re thinking of switching it up, the best way to make a change is to look to the seasons. Colognes utilize smells from nature, so tweaking your scent when inspired by what’s happening outside your windows just makes scents—er, sense.

Think about summer. There’s sunshine! There’s greenery! There’s water! There is a lot of citrus fruit everywhere you look. Summer vibes boil down to a few things: water, salt, plants. Those are also things, at least the olfactory equivalents, that you’ll find in summer colognes. Most of the fragrances you want to wear in the summer are lighter, they’re floral and green, they’re sharp and fresh, they usually have a watery vibe that fragrance-heads call “aquatic.” Basically, they’re all the things you think about in the summer distilled down into a tiny bottle that sits on your dresser. And they can work way beyond summer too. Wearing a summery fragrance can make you feel and smell like you’re still soaking up the sun even when you’re not.

Young Dunes Eau de Parfum

Yes, this collaboration between Esquire favorites is amazing all year round because of its masculine, '90s vibes but what makes it especially good for summer is right there in the name. Inspired by sand dunes and the beaches of the Northeast, notes of wooly beachheather, sea lavender and dunegrass are literal interpretations of coastal vibes. It’s earthy, salty, and musky without being too heavy for warm weather.

Opus XV King Blue

Oud is one of those fragrance notes that is instantly recognizable and always deeply elegant, but frankly it’s not always something you want to spray on when it’s hot and muggy outside. This ingenious cologne is a take on the traditional “blue” scents we all gravitate toward in the summer with fresh mandarin, zingy pink pepper, and sharp blackcurrant, but with a healthy injection of oud and amber that reveals itself the longer you wear it. The best of both worlds? We think so.

Neroli Portofino

No list of summer colognes would be complete without Neroli Portofino, one of Tom Ford’s most iconic colognes. It’s a best smeller for a reason—one spray instantly transports you to the Amalfi Coast (mentally, at least) thanks to the bright notes of Italian bergamot, lemon, and mandarin mixed with floral neroli, lavender and jasmine. It’s all anchored with warm amber to create the ultimate bright, watery, crisp scent to wear all summer long, whether you’re hanging out on a yacht or not.

2571 Eau de Parfum

If the country’s oldest apothecary brand knows anything, it’s how to use traditional botanicals to create completely modern fragrances. This fresh, clean-smelling cologne has dashes of green florals, bergamot, cardamom, sandalwood, and amber, but what stands out is the ozone note, which lends the juice an airy vibe that’s light on your skin and your nose.

Eau Nabati Eau de Parfum

Woods will always be a staple in fragrance, especially the men’s side of things, but too much wood, or too many wood notes, can take a scent into territory that’s too heavy and cozy for summer. This cocktail of woods that includes cedar and peru balsam is brightened up with green notes of palm tree, immortelle, and petitgrain. It’s inspired by an “imaginary stroll through a garden in paradise”—and what could be more summer-appropriate than that?

Paula's Ibiza Eau de Toilette

Some of the very best summer colognes are the most literal. This unisex scent, inspired by the beaches of Ibiza, just smells like summer in an obvious, but very good way. Coconut, mandarin, driftwood, and frangipani give it a tropical air that keeps smelling green and floral for hours before drying down a bit to reveal deeper notes of ambergris and patchouli. Think of this as the olfactory version of dancing all night at a beach club.

Acqua di Gio Parfum

In the annals of cologne history, we challenge you to find a more iconic aquatic fragrance than Acqua di Gio. One spray makes you feel like you’ve plunged into a cool, secluded bay or maybe a very chic salt water pool. This new version, Parfum, is deeper and stronger, with even more lasting power than the original, but still has the fresh (bergamot), herbal (rosemary), and woody vibes that make the original the perfect summer scent.

Declaration Haute Fraicheur Eau de Toilette

It’s billed as a woody fragrance because, yes, there is cedarwood in there. But what you get when you smell it is green herbaceousness—like someone crumpled up green leaves and distilled them directly into the bottle. There’s a little bit of citrus in there for freshness, too. Wearing this is the perfect way to signal that you’d rather be outside.

Molecule 01 Eau de Toilette

Yes, this is billed as a simple sandalwood scent and yes, you definitely smell the wood in a subtle way. But the real draw of this now-iconic fragrance is that this futuristic cologne interacts with your own body chemistry to smell completely unique on your own skin. And what’s more summery than revealing some skin?

Eternity for Men Eau de Toilette

Calvin Klein Eternity is a classic: one of the best men’s colognes of all time, and arguably the most perfect summer scent thanks to its crisp, citrusy, woody, herbal vibe. It’s youthful yet nostalgic (it was released in 1990, after all) and appropriate for all ages. A few sprays provides a clean feeling that instantly puts a spring in your step and, frankly, isn’t that what a good summer cologne is supposed to do?

What To Look For In A Summer Cologne

Of course fragrance is always a deeply personal choice and it’s hard to tell how you’ll respond to a scent based on the notes alone, but that’s always a good place to start. Think about the things you love about summer. Many summer colognes have citrus which helps to give them their brightness and zing, but you’ll also find floral, aquatic notes like salt and water, and other notes. Arguably the most important part of any cologne is the dry down, which is that part that sticks around to your skin the longest. You’ll often find herbs, woods and other plants like patchouli and vetiver that help to ground the more fleeting top notes to your skin. It also contributes to the longevity of the scent, which is another important factor. Eau de Colognes and Eau de Toilettes are the least concentrated and, while they tend to be fresher they also don’t last as long. You won’t find very many Eau de Parfums that are considered fresh, but when you do, you’ll know that those will stick around for longer due to their higher concentration.

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