I’ve written about why fragrances are important for personal style, but that doesn’t mean I condone spending a fortune on them—as long as you look good and smell good, who cares how much you spend? In fact, I find it more impressive when someone can look stunning and smell marvelous without spending much at all.
In the world of fragrance, price doesn’t correlate with quality. There are cheap colognes and perfumes that smell great, and there are bank-breaking colognes and perfumes that smell awful, and you can find colognes and perfumes across the entire price range that are starkly divisive—loved by some, hated by others. The key is to find fragrances that smell good when worn on your skin, and know how to apply colognes and perfumes properly!
Don’t want to spend too much? Here are the best budget men’s colognes to wear throughout the year, where “budget” means priced at $12/oz or cheaper. (One ounce is about 250-400 sprays, so these bottles will last you quite a while.)
Jump ahead:
- Budget Men’s Cologne for Spring and Summer
- Budget Men’s Cologne for Fall and Winter
- Budget Men’s Cologne for Year-Round
Budget Men’s Cologne for Spring and Summer
Voyage EDT by Nautica
Scent Family: Fresh
Top Notes: Green leaves, apple
Heart Notes: Mimosa, lotus, marine
Base Notes: Cedarwood, oakmoss, musk, amber
Chrome Legend EDT by Azzaro
Scent Family: Fruity
Top Notes: Apple, tea, bitter orange
Heart Notes: Moss, musk, sea spray
Base Notes: Cedar, tonka bean, vetiver, amber
White EDT by Lalique
Scent Family: Fresh
Top Notes: Lemon leaves, tamarind, bergamot
Heart Notes: Nutmeg, white pepper, violet, cardamom
Base Notes: Amber, cedar, musk, oakmoss
360 Red EDT by Perry Ellis
Scent Family: Oriental
Top Notes: Orange, nutmeg, lime zest, bergamot, cloves, cinnamon
Heart Notes: Parsley, lavender, coriander seeds
Base Notes: Patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, musk, red cedar, oakmoss
Reveal Men EDT by Calvin Klein
Scent Family: Fresh
Top Notes: Pear, brandy, ginger, mastic, melon
Heart Notes: Suede, agave, clary sage
Base Notes: Tonka bean, vetiver, amber
Budget Men’s Cologne for Fall and Winter
Grey Flannel EDT by Geoffrey Beene
Scent Family: Oriental
Top Notes: Galbanum, petitgrain, bergamot, lemon, bitter orange
Heart Notes: Mimosa, sage, rose, geranium
Base Notes: Tonka bean, oakmoss, cedar, sandalwood
Zino EDT by Davidoff
Scent Family: Floral
Top Notes: Lavender, clary sage, bergamot, rosewood
Heart Notes: Jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, geranium
Base Notes: Sandalwood, cedar, vanilla, patchouli
Sculpture EDT by Nikos
Scent Family: Oriental
Top Notes: Bergamot, orange blossom, coriander
Heart Notes: Geranium, rose, jasmine, lily of the valley
Base Notes: Cedar, benzoin, amber, tonka bean
CK One Shock EDT by Calvin Klein
Scent Family: Oriental
Top Notes: Lavender, cucumber, clementine
Heart Notes: Pepper, basil, cardamom, osmanthus
Base Notes: Tobacco, amber, patchouli, musk
Encre Noire EDT by Lalique
Scent Family: Woody
Top Notes: Cypress
Heart Notes: Vetiver
Base Notes: Musk, cashmere
Budget Men’s Cologne for Year-Round
Gold EDT by Cuba Paris
Scent Family: Oriental
Top Notes: Pink pepper, grapefruit
Heart Notes: Vetiver, lavender
Base Notes: Vanilla, amber
Musk for Men EDC by Jovan
Scent Family: Woody/Musk
Top Notes: Lime, pepper, carnation, lemon
Heart Notes: Lavender, mint, amber, exotic spices
Base Notes: Musk, woods
Eau De Gaga EDP by Lady Gaga
Scent Family: Woody/Floral
Top Notes: Lime
Heart Notes: White violet
Base Notes: Leather, woods
Ed Hardy Love & Luck for Men EDT by Christian Audigier
Scent Family: Fougere
Top Notes: Bergamot, orange, mandarin, cardamom
Heart Notes: Violet, cypress, sage
Base Notes: Vetiver, cedar, musk, agarwood
Artisan EDT by John Varvatos
Scent Family: Woody
Top Notes: Clementine, tangelo, thyme, marjoram
Heart Notes: Orange blossom, jasmine, lavender, ginger
Base Notes: Musk, amber, woods
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