13 Fresh-Smelling Colognes for Everyday
From bright citrus to airy woods, these are clean scents you’ll never get tired of.
Men’s fragrance has a rich history when it comes to fresh scents. One could argue that the original colognes were what we now consider “fresh.” In fact, the term cologne actually refers to a less concentrated (aka lighter) kind of perfume that generally relies on citrus notes like lemon and orange. These days, we tend to use that term colloquially for any fragrance that men wear, but it’s no surprise that so many men’s scents are still all about bringing the freshness.
Wearing a fresh cologne can instantly liven your mood by making you feel (and smell) cleaner and, well, fresher. You’ll still find a lot of citrus in these fragrances, but you’ll also often find florals, green notes from herbs, and aquatic elements like sea salt and ozone. Often inspired by nature, fresh scents are all about capturing the feeling of being outside and bringing it straight to your skin. This also makes them incredibly versatile and very appropriate for daytime and warm-weather wear (though many fresh colognes are equally suitable year-round).
If you think fresh colognes are one-note, think again. Fresh fragrances make up a huge portion of men’s perfumery, so you’ll find a nearly infinite variety. While many share similar olfactory signatures, you’ll be surprised at how different they smell. So no matter what kind of fragrances you’re drawn to, there is a fresh cologne out there for you. We sniffed and smelled and wafted until we found the absolute best available.
Louis Vuitton Imagination
This citrus-forward cologne is deceptively simple. The optimistic scent is a brilliant blend of citruses with a tinge of sweetness and a hint of spice warmed up with a subtle base of amber and wood. It smells great at first spritz but really blooms when it has time to dry onto your skin, giving you a luxurious freshness that’s equally attention-grabbing during the day or night.
| Notes | Citron, Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian orange, Tunisian neroli, Nigerian ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, Chinese black tea, Ambroxan, olibanum, guaiac wood |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, citrus |
| Size | 3.4 oz, 6.8 oz |
Ralph Lauren Polo Eau de Toilette
There have been many iterations of Polo through the years, but the original, which debuted in 1978, has stood the test of time. Today it smells traditional, sure, but in a throwback masculine way that’s impossible to argue with. There’s a lot going on in terms of notes, but the overall effect is fresh and herbal with a hint of spice and a semisweet, musky dry down. It’s a versatile cologne for guys who like a crowd-pleaser with a bit of tradition.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Juniper berries, basil, artemisia, carraway, coriander, bergamot, pine-tree needles, leather, chamomile, pepper, carnation, geranium, jasmine, rose, tobacco, oakmoss, patchouli, cedar, vetiver, musk, amber |
| Fragrance Family | Woody, fresh |
| Size | 4.2 oz |
Hermès Terre d’Hermès Eau de Toilette
There’s a slight nostalgic feel to this fresh and woody cologne, but it’s anything but musty. Instead, it feels timeless, just like Hermès itself. The brightness of the citrus mixes with woods and earthy patchouli as it dries on your skin, leaving a distinctive, confident scent. It’s the kind of fragrance you wear with a crisp white shirt open at the collar and a well-tailored but relaxed linen suit.
| Notes | Orange, grapefruit, pepper, pelargonium, flint, vetiver, cedar, patchouli, benzoin |
| Fragrance Family | Woody, spicy |
| Size | 3.4 oz |
Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme Eau de Toilette
This classic cologne gets a lot of attention for its unique mix of citrus, which gives the opening its distinctive character. (Maybe it’s the yuzu.) But as you wear it, you’ll notice a clean, soapy quality that makes you feel and smell like you just took the best shower of your life. It’s not in-your-face but instead subtle and unobtrusive. It’s the kind of fresh cologne that is just aching to be worn outside.
| Notes | Yuzu, lemon, bergamot, lemon verbena, mandarin orange, cypress, calone, coriander, tarragon, sage, blue lotus, nutmeg, lily-of-the-valley, bourbon geranium, saffron, ceylon cinnamon, mignonette, Tahitian vetiver, musk, cedar, sandalwood, amber, tobacco |
| Fragrance Family | Woody, aquatic |
| Size | 2.5 oz, 4.2 oz |
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Pour Homme Eau de Toilette
If Dolce & Gabbana can be trusted with anything, it’s capturing the vibe of the Italian coast. This fresh, pleasing cologne is all about the intense burst of sharp citrus at the top that makes it instantly uplifting. (You’ll notice its fruits are all found in Italy.) The dry down is equally special, with a smooth, seductive aroma from the patchouli. It’s unequivocally masculine but still subtle and light. Wear it with your best swimsuit.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Sicilian lemon, rosemary, Indonesian patchouli |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, citrus |
| Size | 1.7 oz, 3.3 oz, 6.7 oz |
Huron Sea Salt + Driftwood Eau de Parfum
The fresh, salty, and aquatic combination of this cologne has a nostalgic quality that recalls the iconic scents of the ’90s but with a modern update. It’s lighter, crisper, and just a tad subtler. Think of this as the grown-up equivalent of a post-workout body spritz. It instantly makes you feel fresher and cleaner, but it’s way more elegant than something that comes in a can.
| Notes | Mandarin, cardamom, blue sage, lavender, ocean air, sea salt, driftwood, cedar |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, aquatic |
| Size | 1.7 oz |
Creed Green Irish Tweed
The citrus in the opening of this cologne is crisp but also green, not sharp like the citrus you’re used to, and as it dries, floral notes like iris emerge to produce a natural, outdoorsy vibe. Once it dries down on your skin, it takes on a clean quality that’s smooth and slightly woody, like a very expensive, very elegant soap. It’s a classic (released in 1985) for a reason.
| Notes | Lemon verbena, iris, violet leaf, ambergris, sandalwood |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, floral |
| Size | 50 ml, 100 ml, 240 ml, 980 ml |
Chanel Allure Homme Eau de Toilette
Don’t be intimidated by the lengthy list of notes—that’s kind of the point of this one. There’s a lot going on, which can make it hard to pin down with just your nose. The vibe seems to evolve quickly, but it starts with a burst of citrus that sticks around for a fresh, clean feeling, then slowly transforms into something sweeter, muskier, and more powdery. It’s a mature, nostalgic fragrance that isn’t aggressive but instead creates a sense of allure.
| Notes | Lemon, peach, ginger, mandarin orange, lavender, bergamot, pepper, cedar, patchouli, vetiver, Brazilian rosewood, rose, jasmine, gardenia, anise, freesia, vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood, coconut, amber, benzoin, musk, leather, oakmoss |
| Fragrance Family | Amber, woody |
| Size | 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz, 5 oz |
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Silver Eau de Parfum
This unisex scent is an exercise in subtlety, despite its well-known longevity. (It really does last for hours.) A slightly boozy freshness from the juniper berries mixes well with the tinge of spices, yet somehow that makes it feel fresher instead of spicier. The musk, amber, and vanilla combine on your skin to produce a smooth, skin-like quality that never loses its fresh feeling. It’s quite obviously a niche IYKYK type of scent, like “quiet luxury” in a bottle.
| Notes | Juniper berries, musk, coriander, woodsy notes, nutmeg, amber, vanilla |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, spicy |
| Size | 1.1 oz, 2.4 oz, 6.7 oz |
Yves Saint Laurent MYSLF Eau de Parfum
Apart from the initial burst of freshness from the double dose of bergamot in the top note, this cologne gets most of its freshness from orange blossom. The chic, clean, white floral note sticks around and rises above all the others, even during the dry down, leaving you smelling light and fresh, but not like a bowl of potpourri. It’s an incredibly versatile cologne yet somewhat unexpected for a men’s scent.
| Notes | Calabrian bergamot, bergamot, Tunisian orange blossom, ambrofix, patchouli |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, floral |
| Size | 1.4 oz, 2 oz, 3.4 oz |
Frederic Malle Geranium Pour Monsieur
Unlike many fresh fragrances that get their zingy freshness from citrus, this unique cologne is all about the burst of mint. It’s the kind of mint you get from fresh herbs, not a cloying, fake, chewing-gum mint. The geranium in the name is more of a supporting character, giving the mint a smooth, floral quality that tempers the herbaceousness a bit but doesn’t take away its bite. It’s a bright, refreshing cologne that, while ideal for warm seasons, is equally wearable year-round.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Mint, geranium, Chinese star anise, clove, cinnamon, musk, sandalwood, incense, styrax, benzoin |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh, spicy |
| Size | 50 ml, 100 ml |
While this one is all about the citrus, there’s also a clean, soapy quality that calls to mind the type of wood-paneled barbershops your grandfather would visit to get his shave. It’s a traditional scent but still feels wearable today. A true eau de cologne, this is on the lighter side but mingles with your skin effortlessly to produce a clean, fresh vibe even after it’s gone a bit quiet. It’s the kind of fragrance you wear with everything.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Sicilian citrus, lavender, rosemary, lemon verbena, white musk, Bulgarian rose, vetiver, jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli, amber |
| Fragrance Family | Fresh |
| Size | 3.4 oz |
Free Yourself Eau/Water Eau de Parfum
This unisex fragrance from Free Yourself represents water (eau in French) in the brand’s elements collection. Its unique mix of citrus, aquatic, and musky notes combine to create the aroma of a serene, flowing stream in the woods. The soft tang of lemon and grapefruit quickly gives way to aquatic notes as well as amber, musk, and white woods to give off that natural, watery scent.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Grapefruit, lemon, pink pepper, bergamot, petitgrain, blackcurrant, gardenia, orange blossom, aquatic notes, musk, amber, white woods |
| Fragrance Family | Citrus, aquatic |
| Size | 15 ml, 50 ml, 100 ml |
What to Look For in a Fresh 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. Most fresh fragrances will have an element of citrus that helps to give them their zing, but you’ll also find herbs, florals, and other notes.
Arguably the most important aspect of any cologne is the dry down—the part that sticks around your skin the longest. You’ll often find ambers, woods, and plants like patchouli and vetiver that help to ground the more fleeting top notes to your skin. Dry down also contributes to the longevity of the scent, which is another important factor.
Eaux de cologne and eaux de toilette are the least concentrated, and while they tend to be fresher, they also don’t last as long. You won’t find very many eaux de parfum that are considered fresh, but when you do, you can trust they’ll stick around longer due to their higher concentration.
Why Trust Us
We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every Esquire roundup 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 tried, tested, 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 product on this list (and our other lists) is chosen based on 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 differ from how someone else wants to smell. 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.
The 12 Best Unisex Fragrances, from Fresh to Spicy
These smell good on everyone, and we’ll guide you to find your match.
Here’s the thing about smell: Your nose isn’t checking IDs. Scent isn’t inherently masculine or feminine, even if there are certain notes that get categorized that way. In reality, there’s a lot of wiggle room to play with. More brands than ever are churning out genderless fragrances that just smell good on everyone. Think of it as picking a vibe, not a side. Whether you lean clean and breezy, bold and spicy, or somewhere in between, there’s a spritz with your name on it.
And the options? Deliciously broad. Fresh, sea-salt-air kinds of fresh. Zippy citrus that grabs attention. Soft, skin-hugging musks. Creamy woods that feel like your favorite sweater. Green, herbaceous, and even smoky notes that work across the board. Here at Esquire, we’ve tested a ridiculous number of colognes and perfumes over the years, so we know what makes a great fragrance—and what tends to work regardless of gender. That’s why you can trust us when we say these are our 12 favorite genderless fragrances right now.
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Best Classic Unisex Fragrance
Calvin Klein CK One Eau de Toilette
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Best Chypre Unisex Fragrance
Diptyque Paris Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum
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Calvin Klein CK One Eau de Toilette
I can’t write a story on unisex fragrances without including the one that started it all: Calvin Klein’s CK One eau de toilette. This scent has been kicking it since 1994, and when it launched, it was pretty much the only unisex fragrance out there (or at least the only one marketed as unisex). It quickly became a best seller, perhaps due to its unique blend of citrus, green, woody, fresh, and floral notes. With top notes including lemon, bergamot, and cardamom; heart notes including jasmine, violet, and nutmeg; and base notes including musk, green tea, and amber, it’s safe to say there’s a lot going on here. But it all comes together in the perfect timeless scent that everyone can rock.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 3.3 oz, 6.7 oz, 10 oz |
| Fragrance Family | Citrus |
| Notes | Lemon, green notes, bergamot, pineapple, mandarin orange, cardamom, papaya, lily of the valley, jasmine, violet, nutmeg, rose, orris, freesia, green accord, musk, cedar, sandalwood, oakmoss, green tea, amber |
Diptyque Paris Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum
I love a good chypre fragrance, and Diptyque Paris makes a beautiful twist on your classic chypre perfume. Eau Capitale, one of the brand’s most popular scents, is a tribute to its home country’s capital city, Paris. It opens with notes of bergamot punctuated by pink peppercorn and follows with the sweetness of rose. Base notes of moss and patchouli provide the woody backdrop for the lighter citrus and floral notes. The eau de parfum is long-lasting; if you’re looking for something a bit softer, try one of Diptyque’s many eau de toilette fragrances.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 75 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Chypre |
| Notes | Rose, bergamot, patchouli, pink peppercorn |
Perfumehead Cosmic Cowboy
We named Perfumehead’s Cosmic Cowboy one of our favorite colognes ever, and while it may lean masculine, it’s so damn cool that anyone can rock it. Cosmic Cowboy is inspired by the Sunset Strip in the 1970s in all its smoky and neon glory, which is brought to life with notes of spicy cinnamon bark, smoky tobacco leaf, boozy whiskey, smooth suede, and sweaty black musk. Close your eyes and you’ll be dancing beside a jukebox in a dark, smoky cowboy bar during the days of disco. It’s spicy, sexy, and nostalgic.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 10 ml, 50 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Spicy |
| Notes | Cinnamon, galbanum, orris root, whiskey, angelica root, tobacco leaf, amber, suede, black musk, cacao |
Fulton & Roark Ramble Extrait de Parfum
All 20 of Fulton & Roark’s fragrances are unisex, but Ramble might just be my favorite. Inspired by Central Park’s woodland enclave of the same name, the Ramble fragrance evokes the sophistication of the city fused with the woody smell of forest air. The top notes of pomelo, black pepper, and bamboo leaf create an inviting, earthy aroma, which gives way to the warm scent of balsam fir needles and the freshness of elemi tree and lavender. Base notes of oakmoss and patchouli leave you smelling like a lush forest. It’s like a walk through the woods—even if you’re in the city.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 50 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Woody chypre |
| Notes | Pomelo, black pepper, bamboo leaf, balsam fir, lavender, elemi, oakmoss, patchouli |
Free Yourself Eau/Water Eau de Parfum
Free Yourself is another brand whose fragrances are all unisex. The four signature scents are inspired by the four elements—earth, air, fire, and water—and crafted in Grasse, France. My favorite of the collection is the Eau, or Water, scent because of how undeniably fresh and clean it smells. It has a unique mix of citrus, aquatic, and woody notes that combine to create the aroma of a rushing stream. Top notes of grapefruit, lemon, pink pepper, and bergamot make room for aquatic notes and base notes of musk, amber, and white woods. I can’t imagine how it happens on the scientific level, but somehow all these notes combine to create the fresh smell of water.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 15 ml, 50 ml, 100 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Citrus, aquatic |
| Notes | Grapefruit, lemon, pink pepper, bergamot, petitgrain, blackcurrant, gardenia, orange blossom, aquatic notes, musk, amber, white woods |
Phlur Father Figure Eau de Parfum
Phlur is known for using sustainable ingredients to create bold fragrances inspired by memories and moods as opposed to traditional signature scents. Its fragrance Father Figure is so named because of its commanding yet tender scent—it’s also a pun on one of the perfume’s main notes: fig. Opening with lush fig, water lily, and cassis buds, the earthy fragrance then folds into florals from orris root, iris flower, and jasmine dew. It has strong base notes of vanilla, musk, patchouli, and sandalwood, giving it a heavier foundation and contrasting with the lighter, floral notes.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 9.5 ml, 50 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Green |
| Notes | Water lily, lush fig, cassis buds, orris root, iris flower, jasmine dew, skin musks, Madagascar vanilla, patchouli leaf, sandalwood |
Maison Margiela Replica Under the Lemon Trees
Like Phlur’s, Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrance collection captures the essence of specific times, places, and memories instead of focusing on traditional signature scents. One of my favorites from the collection is Under the Lemon Trees, a bright citrus scent meant to evoke the feeling of lying under the lemon trees in Palermo. Top citrusy notes of Kalamansi lime combine with the earthier notes of green coriander and cedarwood to create the aroma of not just lemons but their leaves and trees too. Imagine taking a nap in the bright sunlight while a fragrant wind rustles through fresh lemon trees—this scent is all that in a bottle.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 30 ml, 100 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Citrus, fresh |
| Notes | Kalamansi lime accord, petitgrain, cardamom, coriander, mate plant, green tea, cedarwood, cistus plant, musk |
Noteworthy n,866 Urban Night Eau de Parfum
One of my personal go-to fragrances for a night out is Noteworthy’s Urban Night, which I’ve been obsessed with for the past two years. I know, I know, another scent inspired by New York City. Maybe I’m biased because I grew up here, but I can tell you that while the bad smells in N.Y.C. are some of the worst you’ll ever smell, the good smells in N.Y.C. are some of the best. Urban Night captures the essence of right where the West Village meets Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan, due to its fresh top notes of bergamot, ginger, and apple and its woody, warm base notes of vetiver, cedarwood, and tonka. It’s seductive. It’s smooth. It’s undeniably N.Y.C.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 8 ml, 16 ml, 100 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Woody |
| Notes | Bergamot, ginger, apple, sage, geranium, juniper, vetiver, cedarwood, tonka |
Glasshouse Fragrances Kyoto in Bloom Eau de Parfum
Glasshouse Fragrances is perhaps best known for its seasonal scents, including its iconic annual Holiday Express fragrance collection, which features scents such as Winter Wonderland and Under the Mistletoe (and whose packaging is full of magical, intricate illustrations). But the brand’s signature scents are just as gorgeous. Kyoto in Bloom is a best seller, and it’s easy to see (or smell) why. Its citrusy top notes, floral middle notes, and musky base notes combine to evoke the Zen stillness of a Japanese garden in bloom. You’ll get hints of cherry blossoms from the floral notes, transporting you to Kyoto in the springtime, hence its name.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 0.47 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz |
| Fragrance Family | Amber, floral |
| Notes | Pineapple, citrus, green, cream, camellia, orris, lotus, clover, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, musk, vanilla, tonka bean |
Biology Functional Fragrances Deep Natural Spray Parfum
Biology Fragrances was founded in 2022 with the goal of capturing certain emotions and experiences in scents made from all-natural ingredients, including essential oils. The brand’s “Deep” fragrance feels like a cozy velvet blanket you cuddle with next to a fireplace. It opens with notes of crushed cinnamon bark, dry citrus rind, and fresh pine air, which is reminiscent of Christmas morning. Spiced clove bud, cedar, mint, and balsam come out from underneath the opening notes, creating a more complex, warm scent. Base notes of cedarwood, patchouli, musk, and amber cement the fragrance’s soft, warm, and, yes, deep aroma.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 2 ml, 50 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Spicy, woody |
| Notes | Crushed cinnamon bark, dry citrus rind, geranium leaf, green aldehydes, fresh pine air, spiced clove bud, rose, cedar shavings, mint, balsam, cedarwood, patchouli, musk, amber, woods |
Lilfox Sandalo Eau de Parfum
If you’re looking for a fragrance that feels like a cashmere sweater, a glass of bourbon, and the crunch of fall leaves all in one, look no further than Lilfox’s Sandalo eau de parfum. Crafted with essential oils and botanical extracts, it’s the perfect autumn fragrance. Sandalo opens with yuzu and bergamot, which melts into vanilla, ambrette, and cardamom for a warmer, spicier scent. Base notes of sandalwood, cedar, and tobacco give it an air of elegance and luxury.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 3 ml, 50 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Woody, smoky |
| Notes | Yuzu citrus, Sicilian bergamot peel, powdered botanical ambrette, Madagascar vanilla bean, cardamom spice, soft sandalwood, smoky Moroccan and Virgina cedar, tobacco |
D.S. & Durga Debaser Eau de Parfum
D.S. & Durga’s Debaser is a favorite of Esquire style director Jonathan Evans. Inspired by indie rock music and summer heat, the perfume’s unique blend of fig, coconut, iris, woods, tonka, and moss somehow evokes the feeling of a Pixies song coming through your old college radio. It’s hard to categorize Debaser into one fragrance family; with top notes of bergamot, green leaf, and pear stem, it starts out as more of a woody, earthy scent but gives way to a fruitier, even somewhat floral, flavor.
Features at a Glance
| Size | 10 ml, 50 ml, 100 ml |
| Fragrance Family | Aromatic, woody |
| Notes | Bergamot, green leaf, pear stem, fig, coconut milk, iris, blond woods, tonka bean, moss |
Why Trust Us?
