Need help choosing a men’s fragrance?

When choosing a fragrance for your man, it can be tempting to pick one that appeals to your tastes rather than one that appeals to his. While this means you get to give yourself a good spritz of the stuff when you’re sick of your own go-to (a big thank you to the beauty Gods for inventing unisex fragrances), it might not be the best scent for him. We spoke to Mary Hayward, National Training Manager at COTY Australia, for some expert advice on men’s perfume. Selfish girlfriends and partners (ahem, guilty) be warned: here are our tips for choosing the right men’s fragrance.

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Fragrances differ between the sexes

Back in the day, the majority of men’s fragrances were colognes and aftershaves. Now you’re more likely to find eau de toilette sprays on men’s fragrance shelves. ‘How is this any different to our shelves?’ I hear you ask. Mary explains, “The key differences today between men’s and women’s fragrances are the styles and [the] perfumer’s ingredients or notes. The most popular women’s style is the floral category… whereas the popular men’s style is currently the woody/warm/spicy category.”

Notes to look out for

Men’s fragrances are loaded with different notes. While woody and spicy scents may be the most popular (and the most likely to get his senses tingling), Mary outlines the specific notes to look out for in these types of fragrances. She’s snuck in a couple of other categories too, just in case your man likes to go against the grain.

Citrus – bergamot, mandarin and lemon

Spices – ginger, peppers, cardamom, vanilla and cinnamon

Aromatic – sage, lavender, geranium, patchouli and fig

Woods – cedarwood, cypress, sandalwood, vetiver, incense, benzoin, ambergris and tonka bean

Flowers – orange flower, iris and violet

Food for thought

“Think about the age, fashion, style, personality [and] lifestyle of the man and choose the fragrance to suit that. For example – mid 30s, works in finance, fashion-conscious, well-groomed – would love a rich-smelling fragrance,” Mary says. If this sounds like your man, we recommend X by Rocawear.

If your man is more of a laid-back surfer dude, who looks his best in a plain white T-shirt, you can’t go past a crisp, fresh scent. Try DKNY Men The Original or Ermenegildo Zegna Forte EDT. 

For the jetsetter who travels for both business and play, and feels at home in jeans and a button-up, we recommend an uplifting scent like Aramis Adventurer or Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger.

Men’s fragrances we love:

1. Calvin Klein ck2

2. John Varvatos Vintage

3. Clinique Chemistry For Men

4. David Beckham Aqua Classic

5. Crabtree & Evelyn Indian Sandalwood Cologne

6. LYNX Black

And now you've got your man sorted, why not treat yourself to a new fragrance too? Right now we can't get enough of Impulse Goddess and The Body Shop British Rose Eau de Toilette. These floral scents are bang on trend.

Do you buy your man his fragrance? What do you usually look out for?