When it comes to choosing one of the best men’s fragrances and colognes for yourself, a friend or family member, there are quite a few things to consider. Do I like woody or amber fragrances? Am I interested in musky or lighter scents? Do I want a cologne for different occasions?
Regarding the last question, it’s encouraged to have a fragrance for the day, night or special occasions (see our picks for the best evening fragrances for men). Having different scents for different parts of the day helps you differentiate between activities, and realistically, you don’t want to smell incredibly overpowering and intense while working in the office.
To help you find the perfect scent for you, here are the best 11 daytime fragrances for men for everyday wear, including classic picks from Hugo Boss, Tom Ford, Chanel, Montblanc, Dior, Ralph Lauren and more.
P.S. The Amazon Prime Day sale is happening right now, and you can get up to 71% off a lot of these men's fragrances so if you like the look of these picks, treat yourself now!
Best daytime men's colognes and aftershaves 2024
Launched in 2010, Aventus by Creed has quickly become one of the most popular fragrances for men. The luxury scent is cool and smokey, with notes of blackcurrant, bergamot, pineapple, roses, jasmine blossom, vanilla and patchouli. All of this combined together gives Aventus layers of fruity and woody scents so it’s extremely versatile and perfect for everyday wear.
Creed Aventus is available to buy at John Lewis for £165.
Hugo Boss Bottled is one of the best fragrance collections you can buy, as it has multiple colognes to choose from, all of which cater to a number of occasions. For daytime, the original Hugo Boss Bottled is fresh and part of the woody spicy fragrance family. It has notes of citrus, cinnamon, amber, apple and sandalwood, and the scent develops throughout the day so it should get stronger as the hours pass.
Hugo Boss Bottled is available to buy at Boots for £81.
Chanel’s Bleu de Chanel is a blend of aromatic and woody scents with fresh citrus, making it the perfect scent to wear from day to night and across the seasons. It’s incredibly masculine and fresh, with notes of citrus accord, pink pepper, grapefruit, ginger and sandalwood.
Chanel Bleu de Chanel is available to buy at Boots for £85.
Inspired by adventure and nature, Montblanc Explorer is a woody and aromatic fragrance. It has notes of green bergamot, vetiver, patchouli, sage and leather but if you’d prefer something fresher, the Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue would be another perfect choice for everyday.
Montblanc Explorer is available to buy at Montblanc for £38.
Another aromatic fragrance, the Armani Acqua Di Gi Profondo takes inspiration from the ocean, and comes in a beautiful navy blue bottle. It’s a blend of aromatics, woodiness and marine notes, including salt, amber, musk and patchouli, and it’s a strong scent that lasts all day.
Armani Acqua Di Gio Profondo is available to buy at The Fragrance Shop for £87.
One of Dior’s signature scents and a firm favourite in the fragrance industry, Dior Sauvage is woody, masculine and versatile. While Dior Sauvage is recommended as an evening scent, it has clever and distinctive layers that make it work perfectly for both day and night, including lavender, pepper and geranium.
Dior Sauvage is available to buy at Boots for £79.
Polo Red is a classic scent from Ralph Lauren, and comes in a bold red bottle complete with a polo player and horse logo. It’s extremely fresh and citrusy, with notes of lemon, bergamot, juniper, lavender, saffron and vanilla. Polo Red is a perfect everyday scent and it’s a brilliant gift to give someone who’s just getting into fragrances.
Ralph Lauren Polo Red is available to buy at Ralph Lauren for £60.
One of our best summer fragrances for men 2024, Tom Ford’s Mandarino Di Amalfi is inspired by the Amalfi coast. With notes of mint, citrus, thyme and wildflowers, it’s fresh, floral and zesty, and it works nicely as a unisex scent, too.
Tom Ford Mandarino Di Amalfi is available to buy at John Lewis for £220.
With one of the most recognisable bottles on the market, Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male was originally introduced in 1995 and it’s rarely gone out of style. It’s strikingly masculine and has notes of mint, lavender, cinnamon and cumin for a bright yet spicy smell.
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male is available to buy at Boots for £67.
Introduced in 1984, Versace’s L’Homme is a blend of woodsy, oriental and citrus notes, making it a fun scent to transition from day to night with. It has notes of lemon, jasmine, tangerine, nutmeg, grapefruit, oakmoss and more, making it a firm favourite in any cologne collection.
Versace L’Homme is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £74.
Inspired by the Lacoste polo shirt, the L.12.12 Blanc is woody and aromatic. It has notes of grapefruit, cardamom, suede, ylang-ylang and vetiver, and it comes in a sleek white bottle with Lacoste’s embroidered crocodile logo.
Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc is available to buy at Lacoste for £51.
