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3 Under-the-Radar Fragrance Brands That Every Man Should Know in 2026

Skip the department-store counter and discover your next signature scent.

By ,  PWhen you put scent to skin, alchemy occurs. Your body chemistry reacting with the ingredients in any given fragrance means that the way it will smell on you will be different from anyone else. Of course, the shift is often subtle. And if you’re the sort of person who doesn’t like the idea of smelling like every other dude out there, starting with a global best-selling bottle might not be the best path to olfactory individuality.



Horace

Perfume bottle featuring Oud Rose scent with floral and natural elements.

You might already know Horace for its skin-care and hair-care products. The French brand, cofounded by Marc Briant-Terlet and Kim Mazzilli, has been around since 2015. It’s quickly earned legions of fans for its no-fuss, easy-to-use products that are effective, affordable, and—crucially—completely free of the hypermasculine BS that clings to so many men’s grooming brands. What you might not know, though, is just how good Horace’s fragrances are, especially considering each one carries a price tag of just £62. The lineup is small, just six scents total, but includes Esquire favourites like smoky l’Étiquettee and citrusy, woody Vetiver Primavera. The real standout, though, is Oud Rose, which blends floral notes with the depth and richness of oud. Some folks might find it a bit much for everyday wear, but it’s exactly the thing everyone should reach for on a special occasion.

Free Yourself

Two perfume bottles labeled 'NUMINOUS' and 'AETHER'.

Based in Grasse, France, Free Yourself is a unisex fragrance brand that invites its customers to connect with their senses using nature-inspired scents. We’ve written at length about how much we love Free Yourself’s Elements Collection, which started with four fragrances that represent the four classical elements and recently welcomed two new EDPs to the lineup. Our favourite from the collection is Eau (or water), which perfectly captures the freshness of a splash of water with citrusy top notes, a pop of pink pepper, aquatic and floral heart notes, and a musky base. The brand also recently released its second collection, the Mindful Collection, crafted to enhance moods like presence, wonder, and energy.

Abel

 

Bananas and a bottle of product held in arms.

Abel aims to create distinctive scents using strictly natural ingredients, proving that fossil-fuel-derived petrochemicals have no place in 21st-century fragrance. The brand accomplishes this by harnessing new biotechnology. These innovative fragrances are made by fermenting natural plant sugars with bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, which turn into scent molecules. Expect fresh, nature-inspired scents like Green Cedar and Laundry Day. The brand’s newest launch, Miami Split, is an intriguing mix of labdanum white oud and banana, which works surprisingly well.