The 20 Best-Selling Colognes for Men

The versatility of Bleu is what makes it stand out—and what makes it so dang popular. It’s like all of men’s perfumery’s greatest hits in a bottle: a fresh top, spices in the middle, and a base of wood and musk. It smells great on everyone, and while it’s familiar and identifiable, it isn’t going to overpower the room. Think of anywhere you’d want to wear cologne (the answer to that is: everywhere) and Bleu is appropriate.

Until 1995, pretty much all fragrances were marketed to either men or women—never both. CK One changed all that by billing itself as the first unisex fragrance. (Whether or not that’s true is still up for debate). That was a pretty big deal in itself, but what Calvin Klein really accomplished was to capture the minimalist vibes of the era with a fresh, citrusy, slightly floral juice that smells clean but also alluring. It’s ideal for warm weather and daytime wear and remains one of the best-selling scents to this day.

What sets Dylan Blue apart, and the secret to its popularity, is that yes, it’s a citrus fragrance, but it also has a dark side. Calabrian bergamot and grapefruit (plus water notes) give it its fresh “blue” quality at the top, but as it wears on your skin, it settles into deeper notes of amber, incense, musk, and patchouli. It’s a mature take on a fresh cologne that’s masculine but not too aggressive to wear on pretty much any occasion.

Sauvage may just be one of the most popular men’s fragrances of all time; it’s had the cologne world in a chokehold since it burst onto the market in 2015. It’s instantly identifiable, mixing a fresh top note and a rich, amber wood base with a healthy dose of peppers and spice throughout the life of the scent. It launched a thousand copycats and changed the game in terms of what a modern masculine fragrance smells like, blending classic notes in a new and interesting way. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with Sauvage.

This zingy 1990s scent retains its popularity (and sales) due to its unique mix of herbs and spices (not to mention sweet yuzu in addition to the classic citrus notes), which turns it into something subtle and elegant. There’s a light touch, which you’d expect from the iconic Japanese designer, that transcends time and keeps buyers and wearers coming back again and again.

So much of what we love about fragrances goes way beyond the notes. It’s more about the vibes—you know, the feelings and memories they evoke. And no fragrance captures the feeling of summer better than Light Blue. The crisp, fresh citrus notes give it a bright opening, while the herbaceous woodiness of juniper and rosemary evoke nature. Add the smooth sexiness of rosewood in the base and it all works together to evoke days spent outside in the sun, preferably near a body of water. Wear it year-round when you want to feel the sun on your face.

Okay, these days Santal 33 has become synonymous with a certain hipster quality, mainly because hipsters were the ones who put it on the map. But hipness isn’t a bad thing. This is a damn good—we’d even venture to say amazing—fragrance, and even now that it’s insanely popular, it retains a niche quality. It’s identifiable but also smells slightly different on everyone, which is part of how it keeps its cred in the face of ubiquity. It’s still one of the best daytime wood colognes we’ve ever smelled.

It’s no surprise that this bestseller has mass appeal. It’s one of the most versatile colognes on this list, perfectly walking the line between confident and subtle. Like many of the fragrances here, it opens with a fresh burst of citrus and herbs, then evolves into a cool mix of vetiver, leather, wood, and patchouli. No matter where you’re wearing it, it’s going to be a hit.

Everyone loves a party fragrance. You know the kind. It’s the one you put on before going out on the town to really get the energy flowing. (It’s almost better than pregaming.) Eros is the epitome of a party scent. It’s bright and crisp but dries down into sultry vanilla notes that are more skin-sexy than sweet. It’s modern and youthful, and while we definitely recommend wearing it at night, it doesn’t need to be relegated to the club.

This isn’t an old-school cologne by the same measure as some of the others on this list, but there is a timeless quality that makes it stand out—and earns it its popularity. It’s fresh, herbal, and woody, with a dash of minerality that makes it feel (and smell) like something you could imagine your grandfather wearing but that you actually want to wear, too. It’s perfect for spring days, but it really can work all year.

Naming this fragrance Most Wanted was a bit prophetic, seeing as how it went on to become a worldwide bestseller. What makes people gravitate toward it is a warm, spicy, slightly sweet vibe that’s seductive and sexy. It’s the kind of scent you wear when you want to make a really great impression, whether you’re on your first date or your thousandth.

Can we even imagine a list of the best-selling men’s colognes without Acqua di Gio? Throw a brick into a group of guys and you’ll hit one who’s either wearing ADG now or has at one point in his life. It was an instant sensation when it hit counters in 1996 and has shown no signs of decline—mainly because it’s the epitome of what we consider an aquatic fragrance today. Fresh citrus and floral notes mingle with oceanic minerals that are grounded in soft woods to evoke coastal vibes better than almost anything else. It’s versatile, wearable, and, yes, identifiable (in a good way).

On the one hand, this is a party scent—a lively mixture of citrus, spices, and woods that’s confidence in a bottle. On the other, it’s surprisingly intimate and leans more into a warm, spicy-sweet territory that invites people to get closer to you (to get a better smell, of course). It’s the kind of fragrance you want to wear in the winter, whether you’re the life of the holiday party or hosting a more laid-back get-together.

You’ll notice that many of the best-selling men’s colognes belong to the fresh family, and that’s no surprise. Fresh notes like citrus, fruits, and herbs are always going to be crowd-pleasers because they add a zingy energy to fragrances. This popular scent takes it a bit further with the addition of aldehydes to the top note, which gives it a slightly soapy, barbershop quality that’s subtle and masculine at the same time. Anchored in musk and incense for added depth, this cologne stands out from the crowd in the best way possible.

Just like the suits from Hugo Boss, this classic cologne is perfect for the office. The strong, confident feel comes from the woody notes and balsam fir at the base, which sticks to your skin for hours but isn’t the kind of thing that’s going to overpower a room when you enter or linger when you leave. The sweetness of apple and clean floral lavender only add to its versatility and help give it a softer quality that’s approachable yet still conveys strength.

At some point in every man’s life, he’s encountered Polo Blue. Blue, or aquatic, fragrances will always be popular among men for their fresh, clean vibes, but Polo’s blend is as special as it is traditional. It begins with a crisp freshness that dries down into a masculine musky wood base, but it never loses that clean feeling that we all love so much. It’s a crowd-pleaser no matter what crowd you find yourself in and appropriate for pretty much any occasion, from closing a deal at the office to an extra-special date night to just running errands on the weekend.

This one is relatively new to the bestseller list, but it’s no surprise it fast-tracked its way to the top. It draws on traditionally masculine notes like woods and vetiver with a dash of spice, but it adds a youthful quality with a top note of minerals (think salt). It’s a modern take on a classic men’s fragrance, with vibrance no matter how old you are.

Creed is a cologne lover’s cologne maker, and Aventus is the gateway. One of the brand’s most iconic fragrances, and one of the most popular men’s colognes in general, this ultra-masculine juice is a little sweet (there are notes of apple, black currant, and pineapple), but also woody, musky, and rich. It walks the line between traditional and modern in a way that makes it wearable on almost every occasion. It’s always appropriate and always statement-making.

Is this one of the greatest men’s colognes of all time? Judging by sales and the fact that it’s been going strong since 1986, we’d venture to say yes. Unlike many Calvin Klein fragrances, which we associate with freshness, this is a deeply layered scent that’s warm and spicy, with notes like cinnamon, coriander, myrrh, nutmeg, and plenty of woods. It’s manly, but not in an aggressive way—more like sitting next to a fire made from logs you chopped yourself.

There are plenty of aquatic colognes on this list, but one could argue that they wouldn’t be here without Cool Water—the OG aquatic heard round the world. Since its launch in 1988, it’s become a bona fide smash that still enjoys bestseller status decades later. The classic watery cologne opens with a blast of freshness but dries down to a masculine mix of musk, tobacco, and cedar at the base. We prefer it for day wear—it’s very fresh, after all—but truly it could be worn anywhere and anytime.