When selecting the best perfume for a gentleman, don’t just consider how nice it smells. The type of perfume, how long it lasts, and alcohol content are also important.
In this guide, we review the best perfumes for men available on the UK market, and give you tips on how to choose the best one for yourself.
What To Consider When Choosing Perfume For A Gentleman
A. Type of Perfume
There are several types of perfumes, but only three of them are most common. The main differences among the different types of perfumes is the amount of perfume oils and alcohol percentage.
These two factors determine how powerful the perfume is and how long its scent lasts.
Eau de Parfum (EDP)
Eau de Parfum is one of the most powerful types of perfumes with perfume oils making up 15-20% of the bottle’s content.
It delivers a full range of top, middle, and low notes and retains its scent for up to 8 hours. It’s perfect if you want a perfume that will keep you smelling good the entire day.
Be careful though if you work in a small closed space with other people. It might be too overpowering for others. Try Eau de Toilette instead.
EDP has low alcohol content, making it a good choice if you have sensitive skin.
Eau de Toilette (EDT)
This is the most popular type of perfume mostly because it’s cheaper.
It contains 5-15% in aromatic oils, which gives it a lighter profile compared to EDP. It’s perfect if you want a light scent that will not be too much for other people.
Depending on the percentage of oils, EDT can retain its scent on you for 4-6 hours.
Eau de Cologne (EDC)
Cologne has the lowest amount of aromatic compounds – typically in the range of 2-6%. This makes it one of the lightest and cheapest perfumes.
EDC lasts for around 2 hours, so you may need to reapply it several times throughout the day.
Be careful if you have sensitive skin. Eau de Cologne contains the most alcohol.
B. Scent (top, middle and base notes)
Once you decide what kind of perfume you want, pick your preferred scent profile.
Most men’s perfumes are a mixture of citrus notes plus traditionally masculine notes like leather, sandalwood, tobacco and cedar.
These perfumes have a woody, smoky, herbal, earthy or spicy scent.
Don’t focus so much on the top notes especially if you are buying Eau de Toilette or cologne. These are usually citrus or fruity notes that fade away quickly.
The main scent will be from the middle and base notes. Some of the most common are cedar, leather, tobacco, bergamot, musk, and sandalwood.
If you prefer a more unisex scent, look for a perfume with fruity, floral, and sweet notes.
C. Authenticity
Fake perfumes are common when shopping online. Be extra careful that what you are buying is the genuine original perfume.
The best way to be sure is buying from Amazon, the original brand itself, or an authorised third party seller (check the ‘Sold by’ label when ordering on Amazon to see who is selling the perfume).
Best Perfumes for Gentlemen: Top 5 Reviews
1. Scuderia Ferrari Black, 125ml
- Ferrari Black, a fragrance that inspires fascination and desire.
- Ferrari Red & Black fragrances allow you to experience the vibrant and cool lifestyle of a Ferrari driver.
- Spritz lightly on pulse poi
Scuderia Ferrari Black is an Eau de Toilette perfume with a mixture of fruity, spicy and woody notes.
The top notes are mostly fruity. They include lime, apple, and plum. The middle notes are a mixture of spicy and fruity. They include cinnamon, jasmine, rose, and cardamom.
The base notes are vanilla, amber, musk, and cedar.
The top notes quickly go away after you spray the perfume, with the middle and base notes sticking around for about 2-4 hours.
The Scuderia Ferrari Black is not too strong. People around will certainly notice it, but it’s not overpowering. It is perfect for any occasion.
There’s a red version of this perfume – the Scuderia Ferrari Red – that has roughly the same scent profile. It has a mixture of citrusy top notes, spicy and fruity middle notes, and woody/earthy base notes.
For the base notes, the Scuderia Ferrari Red uses sandalwood, moss, cedar and vanilla.
What I like about it:
- Great balance of notes.
- Smells great without being overpowering.
- Not too expensive.
2. 1 Million by Paco Rabanne Eau De Toilette for Men, 100ml
- Fragrance from the designer house of Paco Rabanne
- An eau de toilette for men
- Top notes: sparkling fresh fruits, blood mandarin and peppermint
- Middle notes: spicy masculine flower, rose and musk
- Base notes: sensual leather and am
Looking to splurge on a premium designer perfume? We recommend the popular 1 Million Eau De Toilette by Paco Rabanne.
It’s a little sweeter than most men’s perfumes thanks to the fruity and flowery notes. But it still projects traditional masculine notes of leather and amber.
It starts out with top notes of blood mandarine, peppermint and grapefruit. It then mellows into middle notes consisting of spicey and flowery scents (cinnamon, rose and others).
It finally settles into the base notes of leather, amber, and other woody aromas.
The Paco Rabanne 1 Million EDT is more potent than many Eau De Toilettes. Expect the base notes to last for most of your workday.
What I like about it:
- Nice balance of sweet, spicy and woody.
- Long lasting.
- Good projection (how far it smells) without being too overpowering.
3. Gucci Guilty Men’s Perfume EDT, 50ml
Gucci Guilty is a designer perfume that’s available as Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette.
The Eau de Toilette is the cheaper and lighter option, perfect for men who want a gentle scent that stays with them for most of the day.
The Gucci Guilty EDT has a surprisingly simple note profile, with fewer scents mixed in compared to other EDTs. This results in a bolder and more intense aroma.
For the top notes you have pink pepper and Italian lemon. These two create an initial bright and sweet scent (pink pepper smells both spicy and flowery).
The middle notes are orange blossom, Neroli and French lavender. This gives the perfume a citrusy and flowery heart.
Base notes are patchouli and cedarwood.
The Gucci Guilty EDT perfume comes in a 50ml bottle. It’s not cheap, so just a tiny spritz on pulse points is enough.
What I like about it:
- Great smelling designer perfume.
- Lasts most of the day.
- Nice balance of sweet and woody scents.
4. Jaguar for Men EDT Spray, 100ml
Looking for an affordable perfume? We recommend the Jaguar for Men Eau de Toilette.
It combines more than a dozen notes to produce a nice but short lived scent. It’s a great choice if you want a light perfume that will not project too far.
It lasts for a decent amount of time (many users say they can still catch a hint of it at the end of the day) but it becomes faint after a few hours.
Top notes are a mixture of fruity and herbal scents. They include basil, mandarin orange, grapefruit, anise, and thyme among others.
Middle notes are more spicy. They include cinnamon, nutmeg, and caraway as well as several herbal and flowery notes like sage, jasmine, rose and geranium.
The main base notes are leather, cedarwood and tobacco.
What I like about it:
- Affordable.
- Light scent that’s great for any occasion.
- Lasts most of the day.
5. BOSS Man Orange Eau de Toilette, 100ml
If you want a premium perfume without spending too much money, Boss Man Orange by HUGO BOSS is our top pick.
The 100ml bottle is a good value for money and it smells almost as good as some high-end designer perfumes.
The Boss Orange perfume combines spicy and fruity scents. Notes include vanilla, frankincense, apple and bubinga.
The perfume has a light scent that lasts for hours. You’ll still smell a bit of it at the end of the day. The trick is to apply it on pulse points like your wrist, elbow and throat.
By the way, you can also use Boss Orange as an aftershave.
What I like about it:
- Smells great.
- Not too strong.
- Lasts for hours.
So this is it… Do you like any of the perfumes we’ve shown here? If not, please leave a comment below with your own recommendations. And if you’re looking for more tips how to smell nice, here is one of our guide.
