8 Best Summer Colognes for Men

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Looking for the best summer cologne for men? Your search ends here, my friend, because…

Recently, we rolled up our sleeves and went over 63 different top men’s summer fragrances with a fine-tooth comb — searching for ONLY “the cream of the crop”.

And finally, after a LOT of sniffing, testing, and grading, we have handpicked 8 of the VERY best for you.

And we believe ANY of these 8 below will keep you smelling fresh and clean and also take your confidence levels to new heights.

Oh, and maybe bag you some nice compliments along the way, too! 😎

So with zero fluff, here’s what made the cut below:

Looking for cold weather fragrances? Then discover our best winter colognes.

In a hurry?

Our Top 3 Picks for Summer (or even Spring):

• 1. Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profondo EDP
• 2. Yves Saint Laurent Y EDT
• 3. Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau

Jump Links

• 8. Rasasi Hawas for Him
• 7. Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc Eau Fraiche
• 6. Acqua Di Parma Fico Di Amalfi
• 5. Hermes Terre d’Hermes Eau Givree
• 4. Dior Homme Sport
• 3. Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau
• 2. Yves Saint Laurent Y EDT
• 1. Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profondo EDP

#8 Rasasi Hawas for Him (The OG Version)

Who Else Wants LOTS of Compliments?

OK, that was a silly question, right? Of course you do!

Well, my friend, let me tell you easily and quickly how to get a FLOOD of compliments:

Simply hit yourself with 1–3 sprays of Rasasi Hawas and buckle up, because I kid you not:

Rasasi Hawas is a scent that has NEVER failed me. What do I mean? Well, that is… EVERY time I’ve worn it, I’ve always snagged an unsolicited compliment… and some VERY impressive ones! Every. Single. Time.

I know, I know… sounds hypey, right? But the reason for this is simple, my friend:

You see, Rasasi Hawas is a loud, playful, “beast mode” summer cologne that has a proven, mass-appealing scent profile — so you stand out BIG TIME! Therefore, this leads to more compliments.

Simply put, Hawas was made for getting attention and compliments.

Proven Attention-Getter!

But don’t just take my word for it, my friend, because in the online fragrance community, this infamous hidden gem needs no introduction as it already has a strong reputation for being an attention-grabber. In fact, just spray it on and watch what happens! 🙂

However, it’s a scent probably 99% of guys (none frag-headz) have no clue it even exists and are cruelly kept unaware of… while it’s quietly used by the “Big Dogs” to get insane amounts of compliments.

Well, that was, until now! 😎

They may be outraged that I’m sharing this with you, but that doesn’t bother me because I don’t want you to miss out!

What’s that? You’ve never even heard of Rasasi?

Oh forgive me, in case you’re unaware, Rasasi are a Middle Eastern brand based in Dubai, UAE. By the way, Hawas is Arabic and translates to “obsession.” A fitting name. Anyway…

Hyper-Appealing Scent Profile

Let’s just say it like it is…

Rasasi Hawas for Him smells VERY similar to some other blockbuster colognes, which I already own (and have previously owned). Scents I’m highly familiar with, which you, too, may be familiar with. Namely:

• Paco Rabanne Invictus
• Paco Rabanne Invictus Aqua (now discontinued) and also…
• Montblanc Legend Spirit (which, basically, smells similar to Invictus Aqua)

(Quick FYI: Paco Rabanne Invictus was released first; then Rasasi Hawas; then Invictus Aqua; and then finally, Montblanc Legend Spirit. Hmmm, what’s going on here?)

So if you’re familiar with these, imagine this:

If Paco Rabanne Invictus and Invictus Aqua had a baby (yikes!) — then add a little spicy, Middle Eastern touch.

Imagining it? Great. Now you understand Rasasi Hawas. 🙂

To be honest, though, I would say Rasasi Hawas smells more similar to the original Invictus than Invictus Aqua, though.

And what’s more, I would say the quality of Rasasi Hawas is better than the quality of Paco Rabanne’s Invictus — plus, Hawas smells better! (Oh, and it lasts longer!)

But, more importantly, the beautiful part:

Super Affordable

Rasasi Hawas is a BARGAIN because you can discover this online for a great price! And I honestly believe that if you like any of those scents I just mentioned above, then you’re going to LOVE Hawas.

Oh, and speaking of bargains, make sure you check our best cheap mens fragrances list to discover even more hidden gems that smell MUCH more expensive than they cost!

Oh… sorry my friend, I’ve just realized, that if you’re not familiar with any of those scents, then none of this is helpful, right?

So let me quickly tell you how Rasasi Hawas smells…

Juicy, Fruity Bubble-Gum Sweetness

Put simply, it’s a sweet, fruity “bubble-gumy” scent with some aquatic freshness and exotic spices. Let’s take a closer look:

As soon as you spray Rasasi Hawas, you’re greeted with a blast of sweet, juicy, colorful fruitiness (apple & plum)… and this fruity accord is blended with some refreshing citruses and soft spices (cinnamon & cardamom).

And all these notes give it an irresistible, playful bubblegum-like sweetness. (By the way, this bubblegum accord is the common characteristic that binds all the scents that I previously mentioned above.) However…

As it settles on your skin, this fruity sweetness mellows out as it’s balanced out perfectly with a…

Watery Marine Freshness

And as it plays out, a layer of clean white musk shines through this aquatic fruitiness with a hint of spicy woods.

So it smells fresh, fruity-sweet, and clean… and leaves you beaming with confidence.

And to be crystal clear, my friend:

This cologne is not super sophisticated and/or naturally smelling. It’s slightly synthetic, loud, and playful — but it smells awesome and gets the job done!

Needless to say, if you don’t like flamboyant, sweet-freshies, then this is not going to work for you, my friend. Please take heed.

Side note: This is one of those scents that smells MUCH better in the air around you, than if you smell it right up close on your skin. Oh, and less is more! (More on this in a second.)

And, due to its loud bubblegumy accord, I think Hawas will be a bit too sweet and playful for the over-30 crowd. This is young man’s stuff. (Player’s stuff!) But each to their own, I say.

And there’s no doubt about it, this juice is…

Beast Mode!

Rasasi Hawas for Him is an EDP and performs like a beast.

And you’ll be happy to know because of its beastmode performance, you don’t just have to reserve this for the summer as it works great all year — days or nights. Double win!

Just simply dial your sprays up and down as needed — and spray LIGHT if it’s super-hot outside! Trust me. 🤦‍♂️

And as I touched on earlier, less is more with this one.

How many sprays, then?

Well, depending on the temperature/occasion, I suggest 1–3 sprays for casual use, dates, the gym etc… and 5–6 sprays for clubbing/parties/nights-out etc.

Playful

And in my opinion, it’s too loud, sweet, and playful for the office and formal situations.

Because for up to the first 3 hours, this LEAPS off your skin and projects well over arm’s length (and it even has the potential to fill a room if you overspray it). Put it this way…

You’re going to get noticed — that’s for sure! 😎

However, after the first few hours, it then slightly tones down and creates a good scent cloud around you. And in our tests, it consistently stuck to our testers’ skins for an impressive 7–12+ hours! Not complaining, mind you.

Oh, and hats off to Rasasi…

For not trying to cut costs with their bottle and presentation. Because for the price, I was pleasantly surprised with the high-quality, heavy clear-glass bottle. But here’s the cool part…

The cap is made of a heavy metal and has a python snake engraved around it.

Pretty cool, right?

Plus, the front of the box has a matching snake theme as it has a raised, textured snakeskin-like print boarder around the name of the scent. Nice touch.

What’s the bottom line?

If you’re searching for something youthful, that will get you an INSANE amount of attention… with people practically standing in line to give you compliments, then I urge you to try the mighty Rasasi Hawas.

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#7 Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc Eau Fraiche

Wear This and it’s Game, Set & Match!

Okay… up next on this best summer colognes list is a long-winded and confusingly named (but awesome) scent from the sporty designer fashion brand — Lacoste.

Oh, and speaking of confusing…

Please note: this smells ABSOLUTELY nothing like the brand’s similarly named Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Eau Fraiche (which comes in an opaque green and white gradient bottle), which was released a few years earlier.

And also, it smells nothing like the original L12.12 Blanc. Oh, and by the way…

The “L.12.12” part is the actual name of the fragrance collection that Lacoste gave to their sporty, casual, fresh scents. I’ll explain this mysterious numbers in a second… but first, let me tell you how AWESOME this smells:

Burst of Effervescent Freshness

As soon as you spray Lacoste L1212 Blanc Eau Fraiche, you’re served with an enormous burst of effervescent, clean citrusy freshness…

More specifically, an uplifting grapefruit citrus blended with an invigorating tang of zingy, fresh ginger. (I love the opening!)

And underneath all this bright, airy freshness, is a light layer of fruity-apple sweetness. It’s not overly sweet, though — just a hint of fruity, sugary citrus.

And as the citrus begins to slowly burn off, it’s joined with a gentle breeze of fresh, clean lavender — and everything is backed-up with a nice green, woody base.

And I gotta say, it smells awesome!

Is it next-level stuff? No. I’ll be straight with you, this probably won’t appeal to those of you who have “smelled it all”… And those who are looking for something highly unique and sophisticated.

But if you wear this and radiate confidence and get compliments — I doubt you’ll complain, right? 🙂

Rejuvenating Summery Citrus

In a nutshell:

Lacoste L1212 Blanc Eau Fraiche is an exciting, easy-to-wear, safe fragrance that’s a sheer pleasure to wear in the spring and summer (or whenever!) A fragrance that should keep you smelling fresh, clean, and confident.

And because it has such a delightful, modern, mass-appealing aroma, you can be confident other people around you will like it, too. Because, as you probably know…

Fresh + Clean = People Pleaser!

Furthermore, because of its easy-to-wear, delightful aroma, the age range for users of this is wide open (aka any age!). That said, it does have a modern, youthful, energetic vibe to it. And you’ll be pleased to know…

Just like the brand’s iconic polo shirt, this, too, is CRAZY versatile. However, I would say it’s more fitting for casual daytime use. Plus, it’s safe for the office. Or school. Oh, and it makes for an awesome gym scent, by the way.

Light & Airy Freshness!

Now, despite its name, Lacoste Blanc Eau Fraiche is actually an Eau De Toilette concentration (not an Eau Fraiche). And in our tests, upon first spray, it radiated off the skin around an arm’s length for up to an hour.

It then slowly recedes and hovers just above the skin, giving off gentle, fresh, clean wafts.

And, as expected (being such a light, citrusy-fresh scent), our test subjects reported it was totally gone (off skin) around the 4–6 hour mark. Can’t complain, right?

Of course, though, it lasts longer if you spray it on your clothes.

Oh, and before I forget, my friend…

L.12.12??

The mysterious “L.12.12” name given to the collection was actually the internal code name for the brand’s first polo shirt.

The iconic shirt created back in the day by the French tennis player, and co-founder of the brand — René Lacoste. In case you’re wondering:

• The “L” stands for Lacoste
• The number “1” symbolizes the “Petit Piqué” fabric weave used to make the shirt
• “2” represents short sleeves and…
• “12” is the number of prototypes made before the final product

Oh… and you know what else?

The bottle looks gorgeous! As it’s been designed to mimic the brand’s iconic polo shirt.

Embroidered Crocodile Logo

The front of the bottle is smooth clear glass with the iconic embroidered material crocodile logo adhered to the upper right face of the bottle. But here’s the cool part…

The back face of the bottle is engraved with a pattern that mimics the “Petit Pique” fabric weave of the brand’s polo shirt. Plus, the “juice” inside the bottle has a mint-green-colored tint.

So when the bottle is viewed from the front, it is reminiscent of their iconic light-green-colored L.12.12 polo shirt.

Pretty cool, right?

That said, the white-colored plastic cap feels a bit cheap and flimsy. 🤣 No biggie.

Bottom line:

For summer time (or for anytime!), Lacoste’s L.12.12 Blanc Eau Fraiche just flat out works!

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#6 Acqua di Parma Fico Di Amalfi

Deliciously Refreshing!

Fico di Amalfi works GREAT in the HIGH heat.

Now, in case you don’t know, Fico di Amalfi is Italian and translates to “Fig of the Amalfi” (Amalfi is a coastal town in the Mediterranean). So you guessed it…

This is a FIG themed fragrance. Fig has a sweet and juicy quality, and let me tell you, my friend, Fico di Amalfi smells so refreshing and natural.

If you’re unaware, Acqua di Parma are an Italian niche brand that create unique, high-quality fragrances. You can check our best Acqua di Parma fragrances post to discover more blockbusters from the house. Anyway…

Let’s take a smell of Fico di Amalfi…

Bright & Uplifting

Fico Di Amalfi opens up with a blast of beautiful, uplifting zesty citruses… with grapefruit dominating the opening — it’s bright, it’s sparkling, and it’s fizzy.

But here’s the beautiful part…

When it starts to settle, the juicy fig note joins the party… along with a whisper of jasmine, woods, and a pinch of pink pepper. These notes give it a slightly sweet, creamy green-woody vibe. This is HIGH quality, by the way. 🙂

So hats off to Acqua di Parma… 

Highly Authentic & Natural Smelling

Because this has been blended beautifully and smells SUPER authentic and natural. It’s a very unique but crowd-pleasing fragrance.

Now, this is best suited for spring and summer… but, of course, you could wear this in all seasons (just moderate your sprays). So if you live somewhere hot and humid, this would make a GREAT all year signature scent.

Subtle Projection

Fico di Amalfi is a subtle fragrance, and it’s so easy to wear dressed up or dressed down — any age.

Now, to be perfectly clear, my friend:

If you’re looking for a super masculine type of scent — this is NOT it. Trust me. In fact, I would say this is totally unisex, so the good news is you can share it with your partner. Bonus.

Long lasting?

This is Eau de Toilette concentration, and we found the lasting performance to be decent for it being a citrus-based scent. We averaged it at 5–6 hours of refreshing scent life.

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#5 Hermes Terre d’Hermes Eau Givree

A Breath of Cooling Fresh Air

Here’s what you need to know:

This is Hermes’ newer modernized summer version of their award-winning iconic scent — Terre d’Hermes.

Now, in case you don’t know, Eau Givree is French and translates to “frosted water” — and I must say, my friend, this is a fitting name for this newer version because…

As soon as you spray Eau Givree, you’re treated to a refreshing burst of HYPER-realistic sparkling bitter-zesty-citrus notes — which have an almost airy, icy-frosty freshness to them.

And here’s the beautiful part:

In this opening, there is a blend of lemony-citron fruit and a sprinkle of Timur pepper (also known as Timut pepper, which smells reminiscent to grapefruit), and these two combined smell like a mouthwatering ice-cold glass of juicy grapefruit lemonade.

Mouthwatering Juicy-Grapefruit Lemonade

And every time I smell it, I can’t help but smile. 😎 Anyway, as it settles on your skin, juniper berry comes out and lends a fizzy gin-and-tonic-like accord to the citruses.

It smells VERY welcoming, and the cool, invigorating effect is PERFECT for refreshing you on a hot humid day! And also…

Buried underneath all this juicy icy-freshness is a faint hint of the sophisticated green woody scent DNA of the original, classic Terre d’Hermes. (So if you’re familiar with the original, this will remind you of it.)

And as time goes by, this woody DNA of the original TDH becomes more prominent. And finally, some light metallic-mineral notes appear, which adds some more depth and sophistication to the fragrance.

Cool & Invigorating

It’s clean, refreshing, and very, very classy. And also, the quality is TOP notch — after all, it is a Hermes, right?

Side note: If you’re familiar with the original TDH, imagine this: taking that earthy, dry woody vetiver that’s in it and cleaning it up… and then adding a refreshing, cooling citrus effect on top of it. Well, put simply, that’s Eau Givree.

By the way, if you like the original version, but you just found it a little too mature, then I urge you to give this version a try — trust me. Oh, and to discover even more sophisticated vetiver fragrances, check our best vetiver fragrances for men post.

Now, since Eau Givree has more of a mature, gentlemanly smell to it, I suggest it’s more geared for the classy 25-up crowd.

And the good news: it can be worn anytime — anywhere — anyplace (both for casual/smart or formal situations).

That said, it really does come to life in the high heat, though. This is when it shines! As it gives you an instant blast of cooling freshness, which leaves you beaming with confidence.

Gives You an Instant Boost of Confidence

Terre d’Hermes Eau Givree comes in a EDP concentration. And on first spray, we found it projects moderately off the skin (say, within an arm’s length) for about 1–2 hours.

It then sits “intimately close” to your skin — making it a perfect office scent. But there’s a catch to this mouth-watering freshness, my friend, because when it comes to lasting power, we found it to be a bit spotty! What do I mean?

Well, you see, our test subjects (and yours truly) all reported VASTLY different times for total scent life on skin — anywhere ranging from 4–9 hours on skin before it disappeared (so your mileage may vary).

However, this is an easy fix because a few spritzes on our testers’ shirts solved any performance issues — boosting the scent life for a few extra hours.

Oh, and I must mention, even the Eau Givree bottle gets Hermes’ special attention to detail as they commissioned their own in-house designer, Philippe Mouquet, to design it.

Interestingly, he designed the bottle based on an old bottle that is part of a vintage Hermes travel vanity case, which is held in their private Emile Hermes Museum (above their flagship store in Paris). Anyways…

Classy Scent — Classy Bottle

This beautifully designed Eau Givree bottle is clear glass with the exception of the back face of the bottle, which is frosted glass. This gives the bottle an appropriate frozen look. And also, the base of the bottle sports the iconic Hermes “H” logo.

Plus, the top shoulders of the bottle are finished in polished aluminum, and the cap is finished with a contrasting brushed metal look.

And to finish it all off, the top of the cap, and the top of the atomizer, are engraved with the “Hermès Paris” Clou de Selle (horse saddle pin) logo. Looks very classy — top marks for presentation!

Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you, the bottle is also refillable, so when you run out of juice, you can simply top it up with the brand’s more affordable refill bottles. Bonus!

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#4 Dior Homme Sport

A Sophisticated Freshie

Let me begin by saying this…

Don’t let the name “sport” mislead you, my friend, because this new Dior Homme Sport does not fit the mold of a typical “sport” named scent. This. Is. Different!

In fact, I would call a “refined” sport scent — for a modern, well-dressed guy. As it has a touch of class and sophistication added to its clean, airy freshness.

Which should come as no surprise because when one of the world’s most respected perfumers — Francois Demachy — creates a “sport” fragrance, you know it’s not going to be an average, run-of-the-mill freshie.

Oh, and let’s not forget — this is a Dior, right? 🙂 Anyway…

Before I tell you how (awesome) it smells, just a quick heads-up:

New Formulation

In case you didn’t know, this is Dior’s newest, latest (and greatest, in my opinion) 4th formulation of Dior Homme Sport (not including their, now discontinued, Very Cool Spray version).

Now, I own and love all the previous versions, and I gotta tell you, to my nose (as well as our panel of smell testers), this new version smells quite different… and it’s also an improvement over the previous versions. (Hence why it’s on this list!)

Why does this concern you?

Well, my friend, the reason I’m telling you this is because a lot of places still have both the previous version as well as this new reformulated version, so I don’t want you to accidentally pick up the previous version by mistake.

And it can be an easy mistake as the boxes are both white colored and almost identical except the new version has a black label on the front of the box, whilst the previous version has a silver label. So please choose wisely, my friend.

(Some places have a black sleeve on the outside of the new box stating it’s the “new” version, but not all places have this, or they may have been removed.)

Okay, with that out the way, let me tell you how this new, improved reformulation smells…

Zesty Freshness

As soon as you spray the new Dior Homme Sport, you get a HUGE burst of zesty lemony-citrus freshness… mixed with a vibrant kick of spicy pink pepper. And these are balanced with a dose of aldehydes. Aldehydes?

Oh, in case you’re unaware… to keep it simple, in perfumery aldehydes are a group of synthetic aroma molecules.

And when these aldehydes are used here in Dior Homme Sport, they lend a sparkling, clean airy quality, which brightens its fresh, citrusy opening.

And also, sitting behind all this airy, citrusy freshness, there is a faint woodiness.

As time goes by, however, the citruses mellow out, and this woodiness starts to shine through more and more… and eventually, the woods fuse with a touch of elemi and frankincense (these are aromatic tree resins). The result?

These resins and woods create a faint woody-green “piney” layer underneath the lemony freshness… with a very, very light resinous sweetness. So…

You’re left with a modern, classy smelling, masculine, clean, citrusy-woody scent… with an added layer of sophisticated resinous depth. And all that comes with Dior bragging rights (and Dior’s high-quality, of course).

Modern Woody-Fresh Scent

And, as I mentioned earlier, it’s not quite what you might be expecting, with the name “sport” attached to it. But hey — I ain’t complaining because this smells GREAT (not just good).

And you’ll be pleased to know, because of its elegant touch, Dior Homme Sport can be used all the way from a gym scent to a business meeting. In fact, it’s a perfect, all year, “anytime” cologne.

Can it be used at nights as well? Most assuredly! That said, it’s more of a spring and summer daytime workhorse as it shines when it warms up on your skin.

Oh, and because of its classy, elegant touch, I would say it’s more geared for the mature 25-up crowd.

Light & Airy

Dior Homme Sport is an EDT, and in our tests, we had a light, airy wearing experience — which is perfect to keep you smelling fresh and clean on those “dog days” of summer.

Also, we found it to project moderately off the skin (within arm’s reach) for up to 3 hours. Then it sits close to your skin… giving off refreshing, clean, airy wafts.

And the best news of all?

We discovered — in test after test — that it gave us 6–8+ hours of clean, confident freshness.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention…

As well as the new style box (pictured above), Dior also gave this new reformulated version a new, updated bottle.

The new bottle, pictured below on the right (next to the previous bottle on the left), still retains the sleek, rectangle-shaped clear glass bottle with the visible black tube inside the bottle.

However, the Dior Homme logo is now displayed on the front of the cubed cap (as well as a “CD” logo on the top of the cap) leaving only the word “SPORT” in red lettering on the bottom front of the bottle.

Looks awesome, right?

Furthermore, the Dior Homme “bee” logo is engraved on the top of the high-quality atomizer and on the inside of the caps base. Nice attention to detail.

Bottom line:

If you want to smell elegantly fresh in the summer (or whenever, for that matter), then the new Dior Homme Sport has got you covered.

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#3 Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau (EDT Version)

An Unfair Advantage?

There’s no denying it, my friend…

Jean Paul Gaultier seems to have “cracked the code” when it comes to modern, masculine sexy fragrances that separate you from the crowd.

But you probably already knew that, right? 🙂

Because I’m NOT exaggerating when I tell you that when I was testing JPG Le Beau out in public, this got me a TON of unsolicited compliments!

“Yeah-yeah! Hype!!” — you cry. I know, I know, my friend, but there is a basic underlying reason for this onslaught of compliments because…

Le Beau has a yummy, subtly-sweet, tropical creamy-coconut smell… And, as you probably know, MOST women seem to absolutely LOVE the smell of coconut, right?

Milks a TON of Compliments

So a few sprays of this, my friend, is like rigging a slot machine in your favor. (Kidding. Mostly.) 🙂

Seriously though, before I tell you what you need to know about Le Beau, I should quickly point 2 things out:

First, this is part of JPG’s “Le Beau” collection and smells absolutely nothing like the original, classic JPG Le Male (the one with the striped torso bottle). And…

Secondly, this smells absolutely nothing like a scent JPG released a while back called “Le Beau Male.” Confusing, right?

Oh, and here’s something else…

Le Beau vs Le Beau Le Parfum

Please note, this is the EDT version of Le Beau on this list, because there is also a “Le Beau Le Parfum” version (which is an Eau de Parfum concentration) — just to add some more confusion to the pot!

By the way:

If you’re on the fence over the original EDT or the Le Parfum version, we tested both versions (and I’m also highly familiar with both) — and for the summer, we recommend Le Beau EDT version. Why?

Le Beau Le Parfum has more teeth on it — it’s more complex and simply too dense and sweet for the summer. Trust me.

Oh, and also the fact that most of the women we showed them to said they preferred the smell of Le Beau EDT over the Le Beau Le Parfum version.

Need I say more? 🙂

So much so, however, that they said they would even wear it themselves! As this walks the line of being a unisex scent (more on this in a minute).

Alrighty. With all that said, let me, finally, tell you how “this” Le Beau smells…

Creamy Tropical Coconut

Now, this one is pretty straightforward (but ultra-effective), and as I mentioned earlier, it’s a subtly-sweet tropical coconut scent, so…

It’s a BIG departure from typical summer freshies, so it’s going to make you stand out from the crowd — in a good way! Let’s take a quick sniff…

As soon as you spray Le Beau, you get a flash of bergamot citrus freshness. However, this is VERY short lived as a dose of vanilla and tonka bean take over and start to sing.

And this vanillic sweetness is lined with an addictive, tropical coconut accord. 🥥

To clarify, it doesn’t smell like those synthetic coconut sun lotions or have a bubble-gummy type of sweetness. It’s more like a subtly-sweet, creamy woody-coconut.

And as it dries down on your skin, it starts to take on a dark, rich, creamy tropical feel… With a faint dry woody undertone. It’s…

Simple — Yet Beautiful

And it leaves you beaming with confidence as it gives you those “feel good summer vacation vibes.”

Oh, and it’s worth repeating about that small “side effect” that wearing this scent in public seems to have:

The delicious smelling coconut aroma that Le Beau gives off attracts an unusual amount of attention from women (of all ages). So be careful out there, my friend. 😎

Imagine having that problem?

Speaking of, if you’re a coconut addict, you should check our best coconut perfumes post, as most of the picks are totally unisex.

Ah, that reminds me, I must point something out:

Modern & Youthful

Le Beau almost walks the line of being unisex (leaning masculine, though). So…

If you’re a middle-aged guy, looking for something super-macho and mature – then this is not going to be your cup of tea, my friend.

Now, this was tailor-made for the spring and summer, and it works like gangbusters on a summer night or for a going-out, clubbing scent — trust me.

It’s also a perfect scent to wear for those summer pool or beach parties. And it’s great for daily casual wear and, especially, DATES.

However, I think it’s a bit too sweet and playful to be used for formal situations or for the office etc.

BIG caveat, though:

Because of its vanillic sweetness, if you live somewhere that’s super-hot and humid — say, over 80° F (27° C) — then you may have to reserve this for summer nights only as it will become overly sweet. So your mileage will vary.

Not Just for Summer

The good news, though, is you don’t just have to keep Le Beau for summer use because it smells GREAT all year round! Just be cautious with that sprayer on those super-hot days! Even better…

As I mentioned earlier, this is an EDT and, in our tests, for up to the first 3 hours, it gives you a nice scent bubble (within arm’s reach) — leaving an addictive scent trail behind you.

It then recedes and sits close to your skin, giving off nice, airy wafts. And depending on the temperature, we got mixed results of between 5–9 hours of longevity on skin.

Oh, and I gotta say, Le Beau comes in a…

Gorgeous Bottle

With Le Beau the iconic JPG male torso bottle gets an updated, more muscular, angular look. The bottle sprayer has the ringed pull-tab spray stopper, and the bottle “torso” sports a gold-colored vine leaf — covering up its “bits.”

Plus, as it’s a clear glass bottle, you can see the blue-colored juice inside.

Looks awesome!

And to round the presentation off, it comes in JPG’s hallmark cylindrical tin can.

By the way, no tin-opener is required! (Yes, some people have used one 🤣)

You simply pull from the bottom of the can and the bottle pops out sitting in a red felt podium. Just be careful whilst doing so as it could drop out and hit the floor — ouch!

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for a unique summer cologne, this could be for you because while all your competition are rocking typical summer freshies…. You can easily “steal their thunder” by simply wearing Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau.

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#2 Yves Saint Laurent Y EDT

Is it Immoral to Get Compliments This Easy?

Imagine that feeling of confidence from KNOWING you smell better than EVERY other guy in the room.

Genuinely, imagine that feeling of confidence. Imagining it?

Well, that’s what happens when you wear YSL Y EDT — it’s an effortless quick fix to your confidence!

Case closed. End of story. 🙂

Seriously though, if you’re searching for an easy-to-wear, modern, fresh, clean summer cologne that you can just throw on (for ANY occasion), and be confident you smell awesome to all those around you, then maybe this newly reformulated YSL Y EDT is for you.

Newly reformulated? Ah, that reminds me, before I forget, this is the…

Newer Reformulated EDT Version

You see, the EDT version we are recommending here is a newly reformulated and polished version — which is, quite simply, better in EVERY way compared to the previous EDT version it replaces:

• It’s more refined
• It’s smoother
• It’s longer lasting. Oh, and more importantly…
• It’s better smelling, too!

Please note, though: the older EDT version is still in circulation today — so choose wisely!

Want to know how to tell if it’s the new version? I knew you would. O.K., my friend…

YSL Y EDT Old Box vs YSL EDT New Box

The previous EDT version (pictured below on the left) comes in a black colored box with a thin blue colored border with a black colored YSL logo, which has a silver colored “Y” printed on top of it.

At the same time, the new reformulated bottle comes in a similar black colored box (pictured below on the right); however, the YSL logo is now printed in a blue color (instead of black).

By the way, they both come in a near identical (and awesome looking) elegant clear-glass bottle with a silver-colored “Y” logo, which extends horizontally across two faces of the bottle.

The bottle is finished off with a knurled-patterned cap, which has the YSL logo engraved on the top. Very nice.

That said, the color of the “juice” of the new reformulated version is slightly more blue than the previous version. Well, at least mine is.

Side note: Improvements aside, this still smells quite similar to the previous version, so if you already have the previous version — you don’t need this. Also note, in some countries, YSL have named this update: YSL Y Reno EDT.

But what about the EDP version? I hear you say.

YSL Y EDT vs Y EDP (For Summer Use)

Not gonna lie, in my opinion, the Y EDP release smells the best (and lasts longer) and is also the version most people gravitate towards. Which is, incidentally, quite possibly, the single most complimented fragrance ever invented.

But trust me, my friend, this new EDT is also no slouch in the compliment department, either! Yup, it’s true. Huh?!? Then why is it not here on this list? Well, my friend…

Here’s the problem: in testing, we concluded Y EDP (and the other concentrations in the Y collection) are simply too sweet and too dense to be worn in the high-summer heat. That said…

Maybe (just maybe), depending on how hot your summers get, you could get away with using Y EDP on a cool summer day (with 1 spray). Or even on summer nights. But…

My advice?

For summer use, out of all the current YSL Y line-up, this new EDT is the Y to get! Period. Hence, it’s on this list. (Especially now since YSL have discontinued their summer Eau Fraiche concentration. 🤦‍♂️)

OK, enough babble. Let me, finally, tell you how this new reformulated Y EDT smells…

Clean Aromatic Freshness

On first spray, the new YSL Y EDT starts off bright and zingy with a sparkling freshness. This freshness comes from both a burst of juicy bergamot citrus and a pinch of ginger.

And as the citrus begins to settle, lavender starts to shine through mixed with a hint of clary sage, which gives it a soapy, clean linen-like, aromatic green freshness.

And, as time goes by, a soft hint of alluring vanilla sweetness pokes through the freshness… Supported with some faint woodiness and light whispers of incense in the background.

It smells masculine, mass-appealing, and modern. What’s not to like? Nothing.

Proof:

Because, as I mentioned earlier, this milks a TON of compliments. Seriously. So it MUST be doing something right, right? 😎

Oh, and in case you’re wondering:

The “Y” stands for Generation Y, as YSL wanted to create a modern scent for a modern man, geared specifically for the millennials who were born in the 1980s and 1990s.

A Modern Scent for A Modern Man

But, it goes without saying (but let’s say it anyway), this is so easy-to-wear and likeable that it’s suitable for ALL ages.

Plus, you don’t just have to relegate this for the summer. Wear it whenever, all-year, for formal or casual situations — as it truly is a jack-of-all trades!

For the office… or dates… or the gym.

Or anything!

A Jack-of-All Trades

By the way, I would recommend you get Y EDP for cold weather use because it’s sweeter and has more depth to it. But for summer — the EDT shines!

What’s that? You say does it last long?

I’m glad you asked. Because after seeing YSL’s bold claim on their website, claiming this new improved Y EDT would last up to 8+ hours… We put it through its paces on different test subjects and in different temperatures. (Highly scientific stuff, I know!) Anyway, I have good news…

It Now Lasts Looooonger

You’ll be happy to know, our test subjects (including yours truly) all got around 6–8+ hours of longevity — on skin. Repeatably. So hats off to YSL as this is a BIG improvement over the previous (lackluster) formulation.

Furthermore, after first spray, for the first 1–2 hours, you can pick it up REALLY well (it radiates just over an arm’s length).

After that, it settles in closer to your skin, but you WILL still get noticed. So to play it safe; if you’re using it for the office, I recommend you stick with 1–2 sprays max.

The bottom line:

This newly reformulated version of YSL Y EDT ticks ALL the boxes: it smells GREAT in the high-heat — it’s CRAZY versatile — it LASTS up to 8+ hours — making it an AWESOME modern men’s summer fragrance.

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#1 Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profondo EDP Version

New! Modernized (& Improved!)

Question for you, my friend:

What happens if you take the original best-seller Acqua Di Gio and enhance it… Making it: more refined; more modern; more masculine; better smelling; and longer lasting?

Answer: You get the new Acqua Di Gio Profondo. 🙂

Modern & Masculine

In a nutshell, this is a new, modernized (improved) version of the original iconic Acqua di Gio — that smells, I would say, about 70% similar to the original.

In fact, it was even created by the very same award-winning perfumer, Alberto Morillas. So if you were a fan of the original — then this is a no-brainer! Anyway…

Let me tell you how awesome it smells:

Bright, Fresh & Clean

Acqua di Gio Profondo EDP opens up bright, fresh, and clean with a blast of sweet fruity orangey citrus — mixed with a cool marine-aquatic vibe.

As it settles, some herbal tones (rosemary) appear, which give it a faint green undertone.

Nice.

And as it dries down… a soft mineral accord, coupled with a hint of woods and musk, sits buried underneath (to give it some depth).

It’s refreshingly bright and clean… with an alluring hint of fruity sweetness. And (unsurprisingly) rakes in some nice compliments. Oh, and LOTS of them! 🙂

And the beautiful part:

Anytime. Anywhere.

Profondo EDP is ultra versatile. All ages (suggest 20-up), all seasons, for just about ANY occasion:

Dressed up/dressed down. From a t-shirt and jeans… to a suit and tie — you name it, my friend.

After all, it’s never a bad time to smell super fresh and clean, right? 🙂

That said, when Profondo EDP truly excels is in the warmer weather for daytime use. So it makes for a GREAT daily go-to.

Inoffensive

This version of Acqua Di Gio Profondo is an EDP (Eau de Parfum) concentration and doesn’t scream out for attention. So to be clear, if you’re looking for a room-filler type scent, this is not it. So don’t be saying I never told you, my friend. 🙂

It projects politely (under arm’s length) for about 1–2 hours, and then it becomes more subtle and sits closer to the skin — giving off random gentle wafts (making it good choice for the office or workplace).

And the good news…

Even though it sits close to the skin, we found lasting power to be around the 4–8+ hour range. Not too shabby for a fresh aquatic type scent, right?

Update: An important heads-up, my friend — since our last round of testing the best summer fragrances for men, Armani have been BUSY and cranked out even MORE different versions of Profondo to confuse us with (cash grab! I hear you yell 🤣). Anyway…

Of course, we recently put all these newer versions of Profondo up against our original #1 pick on this list (the EDP). The results…

Acqua Di Gio Profondo EDP vs Profondo Lights vs Profondo Parfum vs Profondo EDT 🤦‍♂️

OK… I can now report, after extensively testing ALL these Profondo releases side-by-side, and scoring each one based on smell and lasting power, our original pick, the EDP version, FLAT-OUT wins! Because ALL of our testers, and yours truly, agreed the EDP version simply smells the best of the bunch.

Therefore, out of all the different Profondo concentrations released to date, Profondo EDP is the version that we recommend to you — so it will, deservedly, remain #1 on this list. (What’s next Armani? The Elixir version? 🤣)

What’s the bottom line?

If you loved the original Acqua Di Gio (who didn’t, right?) and you want a new improved, modernized, and longer lasting version… then I urge you to try this. Just make sure you get the EDP version as all the other versions’ bottles look similar.

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Now, over to you…

These, then, are our recommendations for the best summer fragrances for men. But…

We would love to hear from you!

What summer scent will you be wearing this year?

Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, please let us know by leaving a comment below right now.

Where to go from here?

I highly recommend checking out our best Burberry cologne post for some more awesome recommendations.

We hope you enjoyed our article and found this list useful. If you did, we would love it if you would please share it to your favourite social networks!