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The best-smelling colognes to buy for him this Valentine's Day

Guaranteed hits

By Briar Clark

BEAUTYcrew Beauty Editor / February 02 2023

The secret to finding the best-smelling cologne for men? Buy him something you like too.

Let’s be real, whether he’s your significant other, father, brother, or friend, he’s going to be a lot more tolerable when you like the way he smells.

Forget scouring the shelves of the perfume section of your local department store this Valentine's Day, because these nine men’s fragrances are the best-smelling colognes he’s ever likely to receive.

Costa Brazil Aroma | Jungle

Inspired by the resinous scent synonymous with the Amazon, this fresh and spicy aroma plunges you into the depths of the jungle. Unique notes of white jungle flora, Brazil orange oil, geranium bourbon, nutmeg oil, clearwood, myrrh, cedarwood atlas, vetiver, plant-based musks, and cypriol dwell here.

$298 at MECCA

Bleu de CHANEL Eau de Parfum

Famous for a reason, Bleu de CHANEL strikes the ideal balance between fresh and woody for a timeless scent you'll never get sick of sniffing. It opens with a zesty lineup of grapefruit, lemon and mint before unfurling dense and powerful notes of jasmine, sandalwood and patchouli, leaving behind a sophisticated trail that oozes confidence.

$200 at David Jones

MAISON TAHITE Sel_Vanille

Sweet, salty and grounded by an earthy wood element, this cologne transports you across the sea with touches of vanilla, sea salt, sage and cedarwood at the helm.

$239 at Libertine Parfumerie

ROEMY WorkShop

This masculine ode to the woody aroma of a well-loved workshop is distinctly nostalgic; where cedar, musk, and leather are paired with Bulgarian rose and violet.

$179 at ROEMY

Tom Ford Noir Extreme

A deeply intense venture into the concept of modern masculinity and duality, this extreme parfum is richly sensual in kind. Notes of cardamom, ginger, tonka bean and guaiacwood conceive a refined palette of elegant tastes.

$350 at MYER

Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme Eau & Cedre

Just as fresh as L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme, this exploration of simplicity pairs cedarwood and vetiver with patchouli, cardamom and aquatic notes.

$164 at MYER

MEMO Iberian Leather

A cologne that conquers the fragrances of the Iberian Peninsula perfectly, aromatics and citrus sit at the fore, while abundant white florals tango against a backdrop of spices and aged woods.

$440 at Libertine Parfumerie

Paco Rabanne Phantom

This cologne is likely to smell a little bit different than anything you’ve ever sampled before. Modern and bold, it champions notes of creamy lavender, tarte citrus and woody vanilla.

$190 at MYER

MILLER HARRIS Le Cedre

There’s something special about a cedar scent for men. Masculine and modern, but nostalgic too, this cologne is spicy, warm, comforting and elegant all at once thanks to touches of pepper, incense, black orchid, cedarwood, cashmere wood and musk.

$359 at Libertine Parfumerie

Main image credit: @gil.aroma

Why not give him the gift of skin care too? These are the best men's face washes.

Briar Clark

Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).