Notes of rum, white peony (a powdery floral), and vanilla bourbon make it the perfect evening fragrance.
Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct, £33
For all occasions, , is a favourite of mine.
Don’t be deceived by the branding. First Instinct is a juicy, lively scent that would be just as at home in one of the more niche fragrance brands.
With notes of melon, gin and tonic, and an amber base, it’s an easy-wearer with a luxurious dry down.
BEST UNISEX FRAGRANCES
Technically, all fragrance is unisex - it’s just scented liquid with a lot of marketing around it! But these are some of the best fragrances that I think men and women would both enjoy…
Tom Ford Ombré Leather EDP, £106
When I think of a typical leather fragrance, I think of something heavy, heady and that doesn’t sit so easily.
couldn’t be further from this.
It is so accessible and is softer and sweeter than other leather scents. You could easily wear this all year round.
All Saints Concrete Rain, £49
is bright and energetic with a gorgeous musky base. The floral note in the scent is grounded and mature, whilst the musk gives it familiarity and warmth.
It's a really great price point for fragrances that smell premium and last on the skin.
CK One, £49
For those of you that don’t know this , it opens with an energetic citrus burst with bergamot, pineapple, mandarin and cooling cardamon.
From lively, it moves to sensual with jasmine, violet, nutmeg and just a dash of rose.
But, for me, it’s the dry down that makes this scent so iconic. Sandalwood, amber, musk and cedar create a cocooning warmth that sits beautifully across your skin.
NOTES TO NOTE
If you're looking to buy a new men's fragrance but don't know where to start, there are some fragrance notes and compositions that have been marketed towards men
According to grooming expert Robin James (), while fragrance notes aren't gendered, for summer, citrus, woody and ozonic fragrances are a great choice.
Citrus - Bright, sparkling notes that energise. Bergamot (which looks like a large lime), mandarin, lemon, grapefruit.
Ozonic - Think of scents that evoke the fresh, clean, crisp smell of the ocean or sea breeze. Notes include sea salt, seaweed and marine accords.
Woody - These notes provide depth and warmth. Sandalwood, cedarwood, vetiver, patchoulli.
BEST BUDGET-BLOWING FRAGRANCES
LBTY Zephirine, £225
Created by Frank Voelkl (the nose behind and ), there’s a familiarity and comfort in this scent.
Creamy fig, dewy rose, and a soft suede base give me cosy Sunday vibes.
Think pastries, cashmere, coffee, messy hair. It just has everything that I want a Sunday to be.
This is very much going to go into my heavy rotation in the bedroom. I’ll be wearing this over and over again.
Matiere Premiere Radial Rose, £220
This fragrance is one of the purest, fullest, and most concentrated rose scents I’ve ever encountered.
While this may sound like a radical recipe for disaster, it’s anything but.