The Top 10 Best Summer Colognes for Men (2023)

#10 Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc Eau Fraiche

Game, Set & Match!

Okay… Let’s kick this best summer colognes list off with 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 colored bottle), which was released a few years back.

And also, it smells nothing like the original L12.12 Blanc. 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 the mysterious numbers in a second… but first, let me tell you how AWESOME this smells:

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 mixed 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.

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 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. 🙂

Rejuvenating Summery Citrus

In a nutshell:

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

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

Fresh + Clean = People Pleaser!

And because of its easy-to-wear, delightful aroma, the age range for users of this is wide open (any age!). That said, it does have a modern, youthful, energetic vibe to it.

And just like the brand’s iconic polo shirt, this, too, is CRAZY versatile. It’s more fitting for casual daytime use, though. Plus, it’s safe for the office. Or school. Oh, and it makes for a killer 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?

It lasts longer on clothes, of course.

Oh, and before I forget…

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.

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

Bottom line:

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

#9 Rasasi Hawas for Him

Who Else Wants LOTS of Compliments?

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

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:

Hawas is a scent that has NEVER failed me… 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:

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

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

Attention-Getter!

But don’t just take my word for it 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 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 DNA

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), and 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, 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! (Plus, it lasts longer!)

But, more importantly, the beautiful part:

Affordable

Rasasi Hawas is a BARGAIN, by the way, 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.

To be honest, though, out of all of them, the Invictus Aqua (the formulation in the frosted-glass bottle) reigns supreme. Period.

However, it’s discontinued and now goes for outrageous money on the secondary market — if you can find it, that is. (And it’s NOT worth it, I must add. Just get Hawas!)

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 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 it, you’re greeted with a sweet blast of juicy, colorful fruitiness (apple & plum)… mixed with some refreshing citruses and soft spices (cinnamon & cardamom).

This gives it an irresistible, playful bubblegum-like sweetness. (By the way, this bubblegum accord is the common characteristic that binds all the scents, which I mentioned above, together.)

As it settles, however, 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.

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

And to be crystal clear:

It’s 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.

Sidenote: It’s one of those scents that smells MUCH better in the air around you, than if you smell it right up close on your skin. 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 wears 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!

Because, as I touched on earlier, less is more with this one — trust me.

How many sprays?

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.

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

Playful

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

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

However, 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!

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… and people practically standing in line to give you compliments and to ask you the name of the scent you’re wearing — then I urge you to try the mighty Rasasi Hawas.

Use it wisely, my friend. 🙂

#8 Ferrari Bright Neroli

Bright, Fresh & Clean

Unlike their cars… Ferrari fragrances are very affordable. 🙂

The name on the bottle says it all…

As this is bright neroli fragrance. In case you’re unaware… Neroli is an essential oil produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree.

Neroli smells sweet, honeyed, and somewhat metallic — with green and spicy facets.

In a nutshell:

This gives off a clean, fresh soapy vibe. Let’s take a sniff…

Ferrari Bright Neroli opens with a blast of bright fresh citrus notes (mainly orange). And when it settles, the orange blossom and neroli come into play… joined with a light woody base.

The result?

It smells SUPER fresh and clean. Therefore, making it a beautiful fragrance for a hot summer day. Perfect.

Smells High Quality

By the way, this is a GREAT bang-for-your-buck. How so?

Because listen to this…

In the fragrance community, this often gets compared to a much more expensive fragrance called: Tom Ford Neroli Portifino.

Are the exact?

To be honest, no, they do NOT smell exactly the same… But they are very, very similar, so you get the same sort of vibe with Bright Neroli — but at a FRACTION of the price.

Can you say jackpot? 🙂

Subtle

Now, this is a unisex scent, and is best for summer and spring daytime use. Any age group, and more suited for casual use.

Also note, this is quite a subtle scent, so you can even use this for the office/work.

And the good news, it has decent lasting performance to keep you smelling clean and fresh — for around 4–5 hours on skin (and even longer on clothes).

Two thumbs up.

#7 Acqua di Parma Fico Di Amalfi

Deliciously Refreshing

This works GREAT in the HIGH heat.

First off…

In case you don’t know, Fico di Amalfi is Italian and translates to “Fig of the Amalfi” (a coastal town in the Mediterranean). So no surprise here…

A Fig note is the star of this fragrance… and let me tell you, my friend, it smells so refreshing and so natural — fig has a sweet and juicy quality.

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 break Fico di Amalfi down…

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 give it a slightly sweet, creamy green-woody vibe. This is quality, by the way. 🙂

And hats off to Acqua di Parma… 

Authentic & Natural

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 you could wear this all seasons (just moderate your sprays). So if you live somewhere hot and humid, this would make a GREAT all year signature scent.

Subtle

Fico di Amalfi is a subtle fragrance and so easy to wear… Dressed up or dressed down — any age.

Now, to be perfectly clear:

If you’re looking for a super masculine type scent — this is not it. This is unisex… so the good news, you can share it with your partner. Bonus.

Long lasting?

This is Eau de Toilette concentration and the lasting performance is decent for a citrus based scent. We averaged it 5–6 hours.

And while it lasts, it’s VERY refreshing!

#6 Hermes Terre d’Hermes Eau Givree

A Breath of Fresh Air

It’s finally here!

Hermes’ newest, modern summer version of their award-winning scent — Terre d’Hermes.

Now, in case you don’t know, Eau Givree is French and translates to “frosted water” — and what a fitting name for this new 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, both the lemony-citron fruit and a sprinkle of Timur pepper (also known as Timut pepper — which smell is reminiscent of grapefruit) combine to smell like a mouthwatering, ice-cold glass of…

Juicy Grapefruit Lemonade

And when you smell it, you can’t help but smile. Furthermore, as it settles on your skin, juniper berry comes out and lends a fizzy “gin and tonic” like accord to the citruses.

It’s VERY welcoming, and the cool, invigorating effect is perfect for refreshing you on a hot humid day!

And buried underneath all this juicy icy-freshness, are some light woody/green notes — which are a faint hint of the sophisticated scent DNA of the original, classic Terre d’Hermes.

As time goes by, however, this woody DNA of the original TDH becomes more prominent, and is joined with some light, metallic-mineral notes, 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.

Sidenote: If you’re familiar with the original TDH, imagine taking that earthy, dry woody vetiver DNA from the scent and cleaning it up… and then adding a refreshing, cooling citrus effect on top. That’s Eau Givree.

By the way, if you like the original but found it just a little too mature, then I urge you to give this one a try — trust me.

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.

Instant Boost of Confidence

Terre d’Hermes Eau Givree comes in a EDP concentration, and on first spray, it projects moderately off the skin, say, within 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, when it comes to lasting power, as we found it to be a bit spotty.

As our test subjects reported all different results — anywhere ranging from 4–8 hours on skin before it disappeared (so your mileage may vary).

However, a few spritzes on our testers’ shirts solved any performance issues — adding a few extra hours of scent.

An easy fix!

Oh, and of course, the Eau Givree bottle even 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).

Classy Scent — Classy Bottle

This newly designed Eau Givree bottle is clear glass except for the back face of the bottle, which is frosted glass — giving it an appropriate frozen look. And the base of the bottle sports the iconic Hermes “H” logo.

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

And to finish it off, the top of 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.

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!

#5 Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever Pour Homme

A Unique Summer Cologne — stand out from the crowd!

This is a certified summer banger! Huge, HUGE caveat, though….

BIG disclaimer:

Take heed, my friend, if you do not LOVE the smell of grapefruit, then D&G Light Blue Forever is a big, BIG no no. Period. Full stop. Why?

You see, this has a prominent grapefruit accord, and I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that this smells like an almost photorealistic…

Freshly Cut, Mouth-Watering, Juicy Grapefruit

Seriously. In fact, this image nails it!

So, obviously, if you don’t like grapefruit, then this is gonna be a tough one to wear. (Duh! Right?)

But, if grapefruit is your jam, read on… 🙂

In fact, let me just tell you how it smells:

The second it hits your skin, the grapefruit makes itself known. And let me tell you, that delightful, refreshing aroma of grapefruit is turned up to 11!

It’s zesty… it’s rindy… it’s sour… it’s tart. In fact, it smells almost like you just cut into a fresh, ripe, juicy grapefruit and held it to your nose. Awesome!

Hat tip to D&G.

In fact, you can’t smell it and not come away with a smile on your face (if you like grapefruit, that is).

As it dries down on your skin, however, the grapefruit slowly mellows out, becoming less sour, as it gets a nice hint of sweetness.

Airy Cleanness

And finally, after about 30 minutes, the grapefruit is greeted with some vetiver, violet leaf, and white musk. These add a nice airy, soapy-clean green/woody undertone to the zesty grapefruit.

And I gotta say, it’s very unique, and is sure to make you stand out in the sea of the plain generic citrus scents, which 99% of guys are currently rocking.

Oh, and there’s NO doubt about it, this…

Performs Great in The Heat!

Because Light Blue Forever was, absolutely, tailor made for warm weather wear. Seriously, this stuff shines when it gets a bit heat on it. (Note: This does not perform when it’s cold.)

And it’s a perfect fit for casual daytime use — also office approved!

It’s also worth noting, it’s not super-masculine smelling. In fact, I would say it’s unisex as it literally smells just like fresh, clean grapefruit!

Now, Light Blue Forever is an EDP, and we found it to radiate off skin around an arm’s length for the first 1–2 hours.

It then sits closer to the skin, giving off gentle wafts of refreshing, delicious grapefruit.

And surprisingly, for being such a fresh, citrusy scent (which usually fade quickly), you’ll be pleased to know, we all, consistently, got an impressive 5–8 plus hours of grapefruit freshness!

Oh, and I must mention:

The bottle is slick! It’s a gorgeous light blue color, with contrasting gold-colored accents. It also comes in a matching light blue colored “flocked box” (meaning, it’s covered with a thin velvety/felt like coating). Nice touch.

A final point:

Light Blue Forever vs Light Blue Italian Love

After D&G released Light Blue Forever, they then later released another very, very similar scent called Light Blue Italian Love. To keep it simple:

Light Blue Italian Love is a tweaked EDT version of Light Blue Forever, that I would say, smells about 95% similar.

With that 5% difference being that it has a slightly toned-down grapefruit accord — the grapefruit is not as pronounced. And it’s slightly greener. So…

My advice:

Go with either one — BOTH rock! Whatever you can find cheaper. That said, LB Forever does last slightly longer.

What About Light Blue Summer Vibes?

“Yeah, but what about D&G’s brand-new release called Light Blue Summer Vibes??? Where’s that? The bottle looks awesome!” I hear you say.

Yeah, agreed, the bottle does look awesome, my friend. But as far as the scent itself goes — it was no contest. No contest at all.

Because after both were sniff tested by our expert panel of judges (and yours truly), we reached a unanimous verdict that Light Blue Forever smelled more unique, more interesting, and simply better (and longer lasting).

Thus, it didn’t make this list. It’s still a good scent, though. But hey, you want GREAT, not just good, right? 🙂

And finally, it’s worth repeating, my friend, you really, really have to enjoy the smell of grapefruit to enjoy this scent, so…

If you do, why aren’t you using it yet?

#4 Dior Homme Sport

A CLASSY 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” freshie… This. Is. Different!

In fact, this is what 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 is also an improvement over the previous versions. (Hence why it’s on this list!)

Why does this concern you?

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 accidently 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.

(Yes, I know 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, 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 fuses with a touch of elemi and frankincense (these are aromatic tree resins).

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

The end result?

You’re left with a modern, classy smelling, masculine, clean, citrusy-woody scent… with an added layer of sophisticated resinous depth — 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, had a light, airy wearing experience — which is perfect to keep you smelling fresh and clean on those “dog days” of summer.

It projects moderately off the skin (within arm’s reach) for up to 3 hours, then 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.

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.

#3 Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau (EDT Version)

An Unfair Advantage?

There’s no denying it…

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

But you already knew that, right?

So, of course, it comes as no surprise that JPG Le Beau is any different, because I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that this…

Milks a TON of Compliments

There is a basic underlying reason for this:

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.

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, 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 is simply too dense and sweet for the summer.

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…

Right off the bat, 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 vibe.

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

And it’s worth repeating, about that one small “side effect” that you should be aware of, which I mentioned earlier — that the coconut attracts an unusual amount of compliments from women (of all ages). So be careful.

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, and that reminds me, I must point out that Le Beau is…

Modern & Youthful

And it, too, 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 works like gangbusters on a summer night for a going-out, clubbing scent — trust me.

Also perfect for those summer pool or beach parties, and great for daily casual wear and, of course, 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.

The good news, though, is you don’t just have to relegate Le Beau for summer — 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

The iconic JPG male torso bottle gets an updated, more muscular, angular look and has the ringed pull-tab spray stopper and 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! 🙂

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.

#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?

Enter: YSL Y EDT — An Effortless Quick Fix!

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…

New 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, and…
• 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 vs 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.

And 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.

But 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 a summer night. 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… coming from both a burst of juicy bergamot citrus and a pinch of ginger.

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

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

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

Proof:

As I mentioned earlier, this milks a TON of compliments. So it’s doing something right!

A Modern Scent for A Modern Man

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.

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.

A Jack-of-All Trades

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!

Though, personally, I would recommend Y EDP for cooler weather use (as 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 that 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…

Now Lasts Looooonger

You’ll be happy to know, our test subjects (including yours truly) all got around 6–8 plus 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 the wearer, but you still get noticed. So to play it safe, if you’re using it for the office, stick with 1–2 sprays max.

The bottom line:

This new 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 a killer modern men’s summer fragrance.

#1 Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profondo

New! Modernized (& Improved!)

Question for you:

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

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

Modern

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.

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

Let’s take a sniff…

Bright, Fresh & Clean

Acqua di Gio Profondo 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 (cypress & rosemary) appear and give it a fresh green undertone.

Nice.

And as it dries down… a mineral accord, joined 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. And LOTS of them! 🙂

And the beautiful part:

Anytime. Anywhere.

This 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:

This truly excels in the warmer weather for daytime use. Makes for a GREAT daily go-to.

Inoffensive

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.

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

The good news…

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

What’s the bottom line?

If you loved the original Acqua Di Gio (who didn’t? 🙂) and you want a new improved, modernized, longer lasting version… I urge you to try this.

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 A-list of the best men’s cologne in the world. and also our best Burberry cologne 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 share it to your favourite social networks!