What would an “Amazon cologne” smell like? Actually, don’t answer that—we’ve read enough harrowing tales about the restroom situation in the ‘Zon’s sprawling warehouses to hazard a guess. But if you arrived here looking for the best colognes you can find on Amazon, well, that’s another story entirely. These days, more and more of our all-time favorite cologne brands for men are available in some capacity on the Everything Store, including luxury powerhouses like Hermès and indie favorites like Malin+Goetz. Convenience-wise, that’s obviously a win, but it also begs the question: Which is the best cologne on Amazon for you?
To help you answer it, we aggregated 30 of our go-to scents right now, sourced from 15 top-shelf labels. Our one piece of advice before you dive in? Consider what you’re looking for: You’ll want to home on in different elements if you’re shopping for a signature scent or rounding out your fragrance wardrobe. (Yes, wardrobe—there’s every reason to treat colognes like clothes, adding a light summer favorite or a warm wintry number to match the season.) Oh, and when it comes to buying colognes in Bezosville, we’d strongly suggest choosing scents sold from the brand itself or “by Amazon.com”—other vendors tend to be significantly less trustworthy.
7 GQ-Approved Scents Available on Amazon
Ralph Lauren
Ralph now sells all kinds of Polo scent remixes, but their proliferation only speaks to the power of the father of them all—the original Polo Eau de Toilette. The woody-patchouli scent, one of the tentpole American colognes, made our recent list of the best men’s colognes, and it’s readily available on Amazon today. (Along with the label’s latest iteration, Polo 67, a fresh, citrus-forward spin on the classic.)
Dior
Dior’s cologne roster is stacked, and while you won’t find a verified seller of Sauvage on Amazon at the moment (perhaps for the best, given Johnny Depp remains its face). Which only leaves room to stock up on their deliciously spicy Homme EDT, a soon to be 20-year-old classic, as well as the carnal and leathery Fahrenheit, which is taking its 37th victorious orbit around the hot sun.
Calvin Klein
The crisp and grounding CK One’s rounded, matte bottle feels as good in your hand as it smells on your skin. One of the great his-and-hers scents, it’s perfect for the pair who likes to share, or the gender-unconcerned buyer who wants to smell like summer on a Grecian isle. As for more explicitly male-tilted scents, the label’s timeless Eternity for Men EDT is a longtime Amazon (and Calvin Klein) bestseller that also lasts a long time on your skin.
Coach
Pear-forward Coach for Men was an instant success when it launched seven years ago, and is relied upon by countless men to serve as their uplifting but still modest signature (the projection isn’t the strongest, though wearers who like to impact a room say that reapplying throughout the day helps with that.). As for the Coach Man Green spin-off , it was launched last year and offers a spicier alternative to the original.
Vacation
The nostalgic branding wizards at Vacation have only been so successful because their product performs too, and their two signature scents are no exception. The first, Vacation EDT, captures the coconut-pineapple essence of scented tanning oils from the 1980s, while Aftersun EDT recalls the soothing, calming aloe gel one applies after a day in the sun. Like their SPFs, these scents manage to compete with the best in the game.
Paco Rabanne
While its ubiquity might steer some away, there’s no denying the massive impact 1 Million has had on the cologne market. Here’s your chance to own the oversized gold brick for yourself, or—and here’s where we’d throw down the Benjamins—the half-century-young Paco Rabanne Pour Homme EDT (a timeless, mossy masterpiece).
Huron
One of our favorite modern men’s grooming brands, Huron is an unsung hero in the fragrance department. These scents are the same ones infused into many of their best-selling personal care products, but the recently launched Sea Salt + Driftwood is a smash in its own right, while the Citrus + Eucalyptus is supremely centering and fresh.
Givenchy
Since arriving in 1974, Givenchy Gentleman has been relaunched and remixed a dozen different ways, but you can still find the original leathery-patchouli-y offering on Amazon . Ditto for another classic from the label, 2002’s Givenchy Pour Homme, a citrusy-vetiver blend that goes on easy, even for the first-time cologne wearer.
Guy Fox
Cali-bred Guy Fox is part of a new wave of American scent makers, and almost all of their offerings are available on Amazon. These are spray-on-your-way fragrances for the Good Time Guy, and a great way to build out your scent wardrobe without dropping a thousand bucks. The woody-eucalyptus Nelson is our favorite, but there’s something unexpected (in a great way) about the floral-herbaceous Mikul.
Hugo Boss
Three decades ago, a woman called Annick Ménardo set out to answer the eternal question: When it comes to scents, what do guys like? Boss Bottled was the result, and has been worn by men around the world ever since. Known for its duality (let’s call it “freshness with a bite”) it blends woody, fruity, and vanilla notes into an inviting combination with impressive projection. Amazon now offers the original as well as this long-lasting Elixir Parfum expression, which amps up the cinnamon to make it even more suited to winter and date night.
Parfums de Marly
We did a double take, too: Yes, Parfums de Marly is available on Amazon. (While many premium sellers are too proud to hit the biggest retailer, there’s something to be said for “finding buyers where they are”.) Yes, these delicious scents will cost you much more than everything else on our list, but we can promise you this: It’s the most top-shelf juice you’ll find on Amazon. Narrowing things down to a couple favorites is difficult, but Althaïr is an all-time great vanilla expression, and Greenley is pure moss and springtime.
Montblanc
From pens to watches to wallets, Montblanc doesn’t put its name (or iconic white star logo) on anything until it’s perfected the form.. The brand’s Explorer and Legend EDPs are monsters as standalone scents, of course, but also pair well as a one-two combo—floral and confident Legend for the workday, and warm, leathery, peppery Explorer for the weekend warrior.
Proraso
A request from us: Can more brands please get into making traditional aftershave colognes? Iconic shave label Proraso is a staple in this sparse field, with extremely fresh and invigorating expressions that send your state of mind straight to a well-worn chair in a Mediterranean barbershop. Initially, you wouldn’t spray their scents on your freshly shorn skin; rather,you’d splash them on post-shower to heighten that sense of freshness. However, these sprayable presentations of their trademark scents—Wood & Spice, and Cypress & Vetiver—make terrific everyday lightweight colognes.
Malin+Goetz
Cannabis is on Amazon. That is, Cannabis EDP from Malin+Goetz—a smoky, earthy (and THC-free) spritz that may or may not elicit a knowing smile from any friends and colleagues that get a whiff. Beyond Cannabis, you can get any of the label’s fantastic scents on the retailer, including Leather—an all-time GQ best smeller, not to mention a chart-topper for the best leather colognes, too.
Hermès
Speaking of the best colognes ever: Terre D’Hermès Eau Intense Vetiver made our list too, and is a can’t-fail pick for your next signature scent, not to mention a refreshing departure from the original Terre D’Hermès. Though if staying true to that legendary scent is your desire, Amazon has the pure Parfum edition, which is slightly more grounded and terrestrial than its inspiration. (But no less delicious.)
Is it safe to buy cologne on Amazon?
As mentioned above, when it comes to buying cologne on Amazon, the best advice is to only choose scents sold from the brand itself, or “sold by Amazon.com”—anything else could be a dupe, outdated, or spoiled. As long as you follow that rule, you’re safe to enjoy Amazon’s growing selection of fragrances, and all of the site’s most useful features—quick shipping, easy returns, and endless customer reviews of how the scent actually performs. (We also like to cross-reference a scent’s Amazon reviews with reviews on fragrance-oriented sites like Fragrantica. Maybe you’re not as scent-obsessed as Fragrantica regulars, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from their in-too-deep understanding.)
How do I find a signature scent?
Finding your signature scent starts with understanding fragrance families. Specifically, identifying the ones you like the most, that also suit you best.) A general rule is that woody, citrus, or aromatic colognes wear well as daily go-tos, while sensual spicy and leather options have their particular time and place. For more information—and our guide to the fifteen scents you really ought to consider—read more here.
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