Best selling mens cologne of all time

Finding a new cologne is not the easiest endeavor in the modern age. There are seemingly endless choices, and it can be hard to know where to start.

Taste is crucial in picking out a cologne that will act as a first introduction before anyone in the room knows your name. We’ve gathered 10 of the finest colognes on the market today. Let us be your wingman as we run through some of the best selling men’s colognes.

If you weren’t hiding under a rock for the duration of 2022, then you’ve probably heard of Blu Atlas. This new men’s personal care brand seemingly appeared overnight, and in no time garnered five-star reviews from outlets such as Forbes, Men’s Journal and Maxim. Their signature cologne, Blu Atlas Atlantis Eau de Parfum, is a knockout.

This adventurous fragrance was inspired by the coastal jungles and beaches of Bali and is dedicated to those who dare to venture off the beaten path. Because safety has plans, and crazy has stories.

In this exquisitely crafted fragrance, you’ll find top notes of bergamot, lemon and blackcurrant. These are followed by middle notes of clary sage, peach, apricot and lavender. The base notes are composed of orris, oak moss, violet, ambrette seed and musk. These notes combine to create one of the best new scents in recent years. Atlantis is already being called a modern classic.

2. Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum

The sun is setting and you’re driving on old US highways through the desert Southwest. Open skies, vistas that seem to stretch for hundreds of miles in every direction, and the wild, clean air flowing in through the open windows.

You feel free. And who wouldn’t? There are few things we can experience that come close to this, but what if you could wear a cologne that allowed you to experience that freedom every day? Enter Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum. Sauvage is the sunset over a desert landscape bottled in a refillable glass spray flask, with all the freedom that comes with it.

This fragrance features earthy and woody fragrances that evoke the vast openness of nature and its sensuality. Key notes of bergamot, nutmeg and vanilla absolute create a full, smoky and sweet aroma. Imagine the feeling of a twilight breeze blowing in the high desert. It’s as much of a pleasure for the wearer as it is for passersby.

3. CHANEL BLEU DE CHANEL Eau de Parfum

This fabulous fragrance is in the top three of the best selling men’s colognes for good reason: There are no others on the market quite like it. Bleu de Chanel is a complex fragrance you have to experience in person. It is a bold and refreshing new scent that is clean, sensual and chock-full of earthy and woodsy aromatics.

It is the perfect companion for the fiercely independent and the unconventional – or at least for those who aspire to be. If you want to smell like no one else in the room, or if you want a fragrance to match your own inner sensibilities, then Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum is destined to be your next cologne.

4. GIVENCHY Gentleman Réserve Privée Eau de Parfum

We’ll just get this out of the way: Most of us will probably never wear anything from Givenchy. You’re looking at anywhere from $700 to over $2,000 just for a T-shirt. So, yeah, Givenchy isn’t on the list for 99.99% of people.

However, as with other major fashion houses, the French luxe brand is accessible to the common man in one form: cologne. Thankfully, the majority of perfumers for these luxury clothing brands are designing fragrances that will be enjoyed by more than just 0.1% of the population, with Givenchy Gentleman Réserve Privée Eau de Parfum being one of them.

This warm and spicy luxury eau de parfum is reminiscent of bourbon oak barrels and the smooth and aromatic liquor that fills them. Expect top notes of whiskey absolute and bergamot; middle notes of iris, chestnut and benzoin; and bottom notes of cedarwood and vetiver. This is housed in a smoked flask with the amber tones of whiskey inside. Which is well suited for a cologne with “reserve” in the name.

5. Armani Acqua di Giò Eau de Toilette

Armani is a classic fashion house. From the 1980s through the late 2000s, an Armani suit was the definition of men’s formal fashion. If you had one, you’d made it. However, that ended in the post-recession world where no one wears suits anymore, instead opting for athleisure or whatever you can get from your local shopping center or mall.

We may not see the timeless style of Armani anymore, but we still smell it every day. Acqua di Giò launched almost 30 years ago, during the peak of Armani, but (unlike its suits) this classic fragrance is still going strong.

This is the original clean and fresh marine-inspired citrus and woodsy cologne. All others that came after owe homage to the nuances of bergamot, neroli, tangerine, rosemary, persimmon and patchouli, which provide the long-lasting citrus and aquatic scent that is at home in the Mediterranean Sea as it is the bar, club or office.

6. TOM FORD Private Blend Oud Wood Eau de Parfum

If you have $175 to spend on a single ounce of cologne, then you’re in luck. If you don’t, then we won’t blame you if you keep scrolling. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let us introduce a fragrance reviewers have called “dangerous” and “sophisticated, yet seductive.”  Some have even warned potential users to take caution.

What could possibly warrant these reviews and warnings? It’s simple: only the rarest of oud wood. Tom Ford Oud Wood Eau de Parfum is a symphony of exotic and smoky woods starring rare oud supported by sandalwood and rosewood.

A cacophony of eastern spices, including Chinese pepper and tonka bean, combine with amber and vanilla to complement the powerful sensuality of oud wood. Does this true artisan perfumery justify the cost? Only you can decide.

All we know is that maybe those reviewers were right, because once the power of oud wood takes hold it becomes harder and harder to resist.

7. VERSACE Men’s Eros Eau de Parfum Spray

If there was a scent that bottled what it felt like to be a carefree billionaire traveling the Aegean Sea by yacht and seaplane as you island-hop, then it would be Versace Eros. Eros, like all great colognes, comes in the form of an eau de parfum. Which, for us laymen, means it has less water content than a body spray or an eau de toilette.

Less water content means more fragrance, and more fragrance means longer-lasting aromatics. Which is just what you’ll need if your destination for the evening is Santorini or Mykonos (or if your dream destination is either of the two). Versace Eros is a modern-day classic scent that is consistently among the best selling men’s colognes – and for good reason.

Its woody accord of cedar, vetiver and patchouli are supplemented by candied apple and Italian citrus, along with the tried and true geranium flower extract and French clary sage extract. Hints of mint oil, amber and vanilla round off these powerful and decadent notes to create a flirtatious and energetic fragrance for the ages.

8. YVES SAINT LAURENT Y Eau de Parfum

Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most famous and highly lauded French fashion houses, and is responsible for many styles in modern-day clothing and accessories.

If you were remotely into fashion in the late 2000s to mid-2010s, chances are you saw their influence in the form of the YSL uniform: SLP. SLP, which stands for Saint Laurent Paris (YSL’s ready-to-wear brand) was king of the slim-fit menswear revolution that dominated men’s fashion a decade ago. It injected a vintage rocker twist that remains influential to this day. Slim jeans, pull-on boots, graphic print shirt, chain necklace, double-rider leather jackets – that’s all SLP.

If that vibe sounds like you, or if you would like it to be you but are not sure you have the body type for the look, then we suggest taking in the bold and seductive scent that embodies the SLP mantra. YSL Y Eau de Parfum is just that. This irresistible yet simple fragrance uses geranium, sage and sensual woods to create the aromatic atmosphere that should accompany black leather jackets, white tees and suede Chelsea boots.

9. Gucci Guilty Pour Homme Eau de Parfum

Have you ever smelled something so raw and powerful it made you green with envy that you didn’t have it for yourself? If you want to wear a scent so unexpected and provocative that it turns the heads of those around you, then you need Gucci Guilty Eau de Parfum Pour Homme.

This aromatic powerhouse of fresh rose, chili pepper, orange blossom, cedarwood and patchouli creates a vintage vibe that cannot be matched. Swinging Sixties in London? Check. Suave Seventies in Rome? Check. Cool Eighties in Miami? Check. Gucci Guilty has it all and then some.

10. DOLCE & GABBANA Men’s The One for Men Eau de Parfum

Like most fashion houses, Dolce & Gabbana have seen wider mainstream success through their men’s and women’s fragrances than with their clothing and accessories. Is this because colognes and perfumes are often the most accessible, attainable and affordable offerings from luxury outfitters? Yeah, probably.

A typical, average-sized men’s cologne from one of the great French, Italian or English fashion houses will run you about $100. Or just a little below $75 during holiday sales. T-shirts from the same fashion houses often can be found starting around $1,000. Suits? Expect to pay $5,000, maybe more.

And don’t even get us started on shoes or accessories. So it’s no wonder that most people’s experience with Dolce & Gabbana is through their fragrances. And, more often than not, that particular fragrance is The One. For the better part of the last two decades, Dolce & Gabbana The One was available as an eau de toilette.

There it saw mass market success as one of the best selling men’s colognes with the help of an advertising campaign featuring Matthew McConaughey. However, since 2015 it has been available as an eau de parfum.

Bonus Round

It would be downright unfair to make a list of the best selling men’s colognes and cap it at 10 entries. In the world of e-commerce, the ranking of products is constantly changing – especially in the world of fragrance.

Some scents work best for spring and summer, while others shine more during fall and winter. Something you’d wear to the office might not be the same scent you’d want to wear on a date.

These next seven scents are ones that find themselves among the top 10 at other times of the year, or are simply too good to omit. Also included are fragrance sets that usually accompany best sellers, because who doesn’t love getting more for less?

Ralph Lauren Men’s 3-Pc. World of Polo Eau de Toilette Set

Europe is known for its various luxury fashion houses that specialize in unobtanium. Rare, one-off garments that cost more than cars that are seen being worn by the world’s most-loved celebrities. We’re talking Chanel, Gucci, Burberry, YSL, Armani…

There is a big-name luxe brand from almost every country on the continent, but we wouldn’t trade the American equivalent for any one of them. Ralph Lauren is ubiquitous in Americana fashion. For over 50 years, the brand, and the man himself, has dressed Americans and the world. Rich or poor, Ralph Lauren has a vision of America for you to wear. Preppy Ivy League with Polo Ralph Lauren, cowboy western workwear with RRL, and black tie-only events with Purple Label.

What could be more American than the son of Eastern European immigrants who went from designing ties out of a drawer in the Bronx to having a sprawling Colorado ranch with his name on it?

This three-piece World of Polo cologne set includes the new favorite, Polo Red, teeming with bright highlights of citrus and juniper; classic Polo Blue with its melon accords; and Polo Black, the tuxedo of colognes, with its deep mango and energetic citrus notes.

COACH FOR MEN Eau de Toilette Spray

NYC, The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps, The Capital of the World, The Five Boroughs… Whatever you call it, New York City is iconic. Manhattan’s bustling city streets, Brooklyn’s aging hipsters, Queen’s linguistic diversity, the Bronx’s rich culture…these boroughs represent not just one of the greatest cities on Earth, but the real American experience you can’t find anywhere else.

However, most people will never experience what it’s like to live in NYC because the majority of us will never be able to afford $5,000 a month to live in a shoebox with no kitchen or bathroom. However, we can smell like we live in the Big Apple thanks to Coach for Men Eau de Toilette. Coach for Men captures the never-resting energy of the city that never sleeps and the freewill spontaneity of all those who call it home.

This masculine fragrance starts off with green nashi pear and citrus. Then its heart of spicy cardamom and geranium fills the senses before finishing with woody notes of Haitian vetiver and suede. Just one whiff of Coach for Men will have you feeling like you own a slice of our world’s capital.

DOLCE & GABBANA K Eau de Toilette

Although just three years old (basically born yesterday in the world of perfumery), Dolce & Gabbana K needs no introduction. Just look at the bottle. It has a jeweled gold crown as a cap for the spray nozzle.

If that isn’t a presentation fit for a king, then we don’t know what is. And what’s inside the bottle is even better. Two of the most popular aromatics in men’s colognes are Mediterranean-inspired scents chock-full of citrus, and earthy and woodsy scents that combine fresh herbs and sensual woods. K has both.

However, just combining the two aromatic categories doesn’t immediately guarantee success. D&G’s master perfumers have carefully selected Sicilian lemon and sparkling blood orange to greet the senses before opening up to K’s heart of rich clary sage, fresh geranium and lively lavandin.

Rounding off these Mediterranean and earthy aromatics is a host of woods starring sultry cedarwood, sophisticated green vetiver and stalwart patchouli. K by Dolce & Gabbana would be a kingly gift for any man.

PRADA 3-Pc. Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette Set

The devil wears Prada, or in this case Prada Luna Rossa Carbon Eau de Toilette. The amazing combination of fresh lavender, soothing floral geranium and the sensual dry amber of ambroxan is on full display in one of Prada’s best-selling men’s fragrances.

We love Luna Rossa not just because of its ad campaign with Jake Gyllenhall (although that is a bonus), but because it’s a year-round jack-of-all-trades cologne. It works as well during spring and summer as it does in the fall and winter. It’s great for the office, sitting in traffic on the 405 or trying out that new bar down the street with the raucous trivia nights.

Having a cologne that does it all means less anxiety in pairing a scent based on the occasion and less strain on the wallet from avoiding having to spend hundreds on fine fragrances. What makes Luna Rossa Carbon even better, though, is its three-piece set, which includes a standard size 3.3 oz spray bottle as well as two standard-size 0.33 oz travel spray bottles.

CAROLINA HERRERA Bad Boy Eau de Toilette

Are you a bad enough dude to head down to Macy’s and pick up this generation’s lightning in a bottle? No, but seriously, that’s exactly what Carolina Herrera did with their Bad Boys Eau de Toilette. This is one of the best scents we’ve come across in recent memory.

Carolina Herrera calls their signature aromatic blend of fine fragrances that make up Bad Boy a “fragrant expression duality, representing the bold nature of the modern man.” We don’t know what that means, but after smelling Bad Boy, we know we agree. It’s a sophisticated yet rebellious cologne, suitable for adventurous go-getters and, of course, bad boys.

You are greeted with the inviting black and white pepper notes before getting hints of Italian bergamot and French clary sage, and then the soothing finish of sensual tonka bean and cocoa absolute. Bad Boy has a blend of classic and modern-day aromatics that will suit the modern man’s lifestyle.

Paco Rabanne 3-Pc. 1 Million Elixir Parfum Intense Set

Have you ever wanted to feel like a million bucks? Of course you have. Growing up, all of us dreamt of having a million dollars in the bank, or preferably in a large pile in a huge master bedroom.

But then we grew up and realized that, in the grand scheme of things, a million bucks isn’t all that much when you consider how much a house, car, vacations, good food and retirement will cost you. But what if you could have a million dollars in a world without inflation and exorbitant price-gouging by the world’s elite?

Allow us to introduce you to Paco Rabanne 1 Million Elixir Parfum Intense. Most men’s colognes are in the form of light and airy eaux de toilette or rich and powerful eaux de parfum. Paco Rabanne turns that up to 11 by offering their signature 1 Million as an elixir, which has twice as much fragrance content than eau de parfum.

Expect an ever deeper aromatic experience, which suits 1 Million’s exotic aromatics. Hand-picked Turkish damascena rose, osmanthus and wild-grown tonka bean are on full display in this elegant scent. Plus, it’s offered in a set that includes the full-size elixir, deodorant spray and a travel-size eau de toilette. Just in case you wanted every part of you to smell, and feel, like a million bucks.

Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Cologne

If you ever had the privilege to walk through the countryside as the autumn harvest was in full swing and the leaves began to fall gently to the forest floor, then you know the wonder and joy brought to you by taking in not only the picturesque views but also all the smells.

Ripe fruits like apple and pear, the last blooming flowers before winter, and fallen leaves. This is the essence of autumn, and Jo Malone of London has bottled it for your convenience. English Pear & Freesia Cologne has the comforting notes of King William pear and white freesia blossoms alongside mellow and sensual amber, patchouli and autumnal woods. Unlike other fragrances on this list, this cologne is wearable by itself or layered with other colognes or perfumes. We suggest wearing it by itself the first few times to see how your body heat and body oil diffuse the fragrance.

Then we recommend pairing it with other fall and winter fragrances that are known for their use of spices and woodsy aromatics. That way you can have the best of both worlds: fruity and floral paired with woodsy and spicy. Just like the fall season, this will be a scent to remember.

What is the most sold mens cologne?

What is the best mens cologne ever?