5 Best Colognes for Men to Wear Now Aren't Made for Men
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The best men's colognes have long been synonymous with a certain kind of masculinity. Just think about the Dior Sauvage ad in which Johnny Depp hangs out in the desert with a pack of wolves. In the past, musky, woody men's cologne turned heads.
But what if you opt to spritz on your body a less “manly” fragrance? Unisex or gender-neutral fragrances, if you couldn’t tell, are created without a specific gender in mind. A floral scent like roses used to be associated with women, while Old Spice once epitomized manliness. However, those binary boundaries don’t restrict us in the same way anymore. Today, we have a more open-minded, liberating set of standards.
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Unisex fragrances have been a growing trend since the late-aughts. According to a 2020 study from Mintel, 51 percent of 2018’s new scents were marketed as unisex, which led The Guardian to declare gender-free the “future of fragrance.”
In the 90s, CK One emerged as the first mainstream unisex fragrances. Now, Sephora dedicates an entire section to unisex fragrances, including those scented with vanilla and warm rum tones.
Historically, fragrances marketed to women came in smaller sizes with colorful packaging, while men's fragrances came in darker colors and larger bottles. Obvious gender-coded stuff.
Gender-neutral scents tend to be less overpowering to the nose than so-called masculine fragrances. I personally prefer cleaner scents on a man. There’s something confident and cool about veering toward something more restrained.
Rather than lean into stereotypical top notes (overtly floral or saccharine scents for women, and overpowering musk bombs for men), unisex colognes and fragrances exist somewhere in between.
Not sure where to dive into this new frontier of fragrances? Here are my top recommendations for gender-free scents.
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Best Unisex Colognes and Fragrances Anyone Can Enjoy
Maison Margiela REPLICA Jazz Club Eau de Toilette
Maison Margiela REPLICA Jazz Club Eau de Toilette exudes high-end jazz club vibes. It's got a medley of tobacco, musky vanilla, and grassy notes of vetiver.
Jo Malone London Cyprus and Grapevine Cologne Intense
Jo Malone London Cyprus and Grapevine Cologne Intense has a masculine woody smell, but adds in fruit.
Boy Smells Woodphoria Eau de Parfum (with pink packaging that might have once scared off an insecure man) is all about duality. You get freshness from coconut and fig leaves and depth from sandalwood.
Malin+Goetz Dark Rum
Dark Rum by Malin+Goetz is like a trip to the Caribbean with brooding notes of spiced rum and plum.
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is a cordial and spicy scent containing tobacco, ginger, vanilla, and sweet wood sap. Somehow, I think Jay-Z must be into that heady concoction. Maybe you should, too.
