The 10 Best Long-Lasting Colognes

No matter your preferred fragrance notes, scent family, or bottle aesthetic, when a scent is sprayed, you want it to last. Much like perfume, many of the best long-lasting colognes typically have concentrated juices with more intense notes that linger long beyond the dry down. Some of these fragrances settle discreetly—almost like a second skin—and can linger softly on your clothes until they’re washed.

There’s a bit of science that goes into creating a cologne that lasts. “It depends on the structure of the fragrance. The notes used in the base have a lot to do with substantivity and long-lastingness,” vice president of perfumery at Givaudan, Adriana Medina, tells BAZAAR. “Sweet, resin, ambery, woody notes work well in performance, but also a strong animalic floral note can help as well.”

With these key notes in mind plus more expert recommendations from Medina, we’ve listed the best long-lasting colognes worth shopping for yourself and others, below. These coveted scents from top brands like Tom Ford and Creed linger well beyond their initial few spritzes.

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BEST ON AMAZON

Parfums de Marly Layton Eau de Parfum

PROS:

• Top-rated

If woody colognes aren’t for you, experts recommend the fresh and floral scent profile of Parfums de Marly’s Layton eau de parfum. It blends apple and bergamot, with notes of jasmine and violet that make for an intoxicating, well-balanced fragrance.

One satisfied customer writes: “Expensive but worth it. Arguably the best from Parfums de Marly. This cologne is a very complex scent that is decadent from first spray to the dry down. Massive compliment getter (the ladies love it). The longevity is 10 hours+ on my skin. Projection is several feet. This stuff will get you noticed. It’s the best smelling cologne out there in my opinion (and I’ve become quite the cologne aficionado). Spend the money and pick this up, you won’t be disappointed.” —Jake

MOST HERBACEOUS

Boy Smells Italian Kush Eau de Parfum

PROS:

• Fragrance also available in candle form

CONS:

• Bottle sizes may be smaller than other brands

This earthy fragrance from Boy Smells quickly transports its wearer to an Italian garden. Its top notes of limoncello and black peppercorn meet rhubarb and cannabis scents in the middle before being grounded by patchouli and sandalwood at its base.

One satisfied customer writes: “Tried this on a whim cause I needed a new scent and let me say…smartest decision ever made. I’m obsessed with this scent like it’s perfect. So fresh and spicy at the same time I feel decadent wearing it. Lasts foreverr too, so I’m always smelling good.” —Payton M

MOST VERSATILE

Tom Ford Oud Minerale Eau de Parfum

PROS

• Unisex scent

CONS

• Initial spray may be intense, according to reviewers

Seaweed, oud, and ambergris accord combine to create an entrancing blend of cool spiciness in Tom Ford’s unisex Oud Minerale eau de parfum. The adventurous scent is like the perfect mashup of the forest and deepest depths of the ocean.

One satisfied customer writes: “The dry down on this cologne is awesome. It’s aquatic and fresh without being bright. On first spray, the cologne is very oud forward, smokey and heavy but give it 5 minutes and I can smell fresh forest and ocean vibes.” —cricky87

BEST FRUIT-FORWARD

Creed Aventus Fragrance

PROS

• Top-rated

CONS

• Inconsistent formula

Creed’s best-selling Aventus fragrance combines fruit-forward notes of apple with spicier blackcurrant and pink pepper, which are rounded out by woody oakmoss, cedarwood, and birch. Plus, its signature blend is topped off by ambroxan, a brand-exclusive note.

One satisfied customer writes: “I sprayed it on me and right away I knew this was the unique smell I was looking for. The birch, pineapple, musk, and black currant are present and words can’t describe how amazing this stuff smells. The dry-down is just as amazing as the initial spray. The compliments are out of control. I spray this when I leave to work at 7am and when I get back from work my girlfriend still smells it on me.” —MrFranco

BEST SPICY

Kilian Paris Born to be Unforgettable Eau de Parfum

PROS

• Unisex scent

CONS

• May be too strong for sensitive noses.

Cola notes (yes, like actual soda) pair with cinnamon and cedarwood to give Kilian Paris’s Born to be Unforgettable its olfactory edge. While you may not be able to put your finger on its individual notes at first, its warm, spicy scent will seem comfortably familiar.

One satisfied customer writes: “If you’re like me and love a slightly sweet, woody scent, you’ll love this. It throws like crazy and lasts so long. Depending on the sniff, it’s either lime or sweet spice.” —Angeekingg

Related article: The Best Matching Fragrances For Couples

BEST CITRUS

Krigler American One 31 Perfume

PROS

• Great for daily wear

If America had a signature scent, it would likely be Krigler’s American One 31 perfume. Created in 1931, its blend of mandarin, vetiver, neroli, cedar, cumin, and black pepper is said to have been worn by public figures like Ernest Hemingway and John F. Kennedy.

BEST FRESH

Bond No.9 New York Wall Street

PROS:

• Versatile

Imagine the look on their face after unwrapping this elegant this black and gold bottle adorned with Bond No. 9’s logo. Inside is an earthy combination of sea kale, cucumber, and marine aroma, with notes of lavender musk-vetiver and ambergris at its base. And with a name like Wall Street, we’re betting your giftee will feel that much more powerful after wearing it all day.

BEST EAU DE TOILETTE

Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Green Stravaganza Eau de Toilette

PROS

• Aromatic

The zesty bergamot, Haitian vetiver, and coffee accord notes in Valentino’s Born In Roma Uomo Green Stravaganza are equal parts woody, earthy, and uplifting. Plus, the iconic rockstud bottle it’s housed in is a must for any cologne wardrobe.

One satisfied customer writes: “It’s different and similar it’s something that has to settle before it gets really good but it’s not too sweet or too strong it’s right in the middle it’s perfect.” —Rasen21

BEST GOURMAND

Rabanne 1 Million Elixir

PROS

• Great for woody scent lovers

Fragrances labelled with “intense” are often among the longest-lasting. To help this woody Rabanne scent linger, perfumers combine notes of apple, Turkish Damascena rose, osmanthus flower, and tonka beans for a robust scent profile once it dries down.

One satisfied customer writes: “A sophisticated blend of sweet and spicy. Imagine juicy apples dipped in creamy vanilla, with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a twist of dark, woody patchouli. It’s intoxicating and undeniably attractive, radiating warmth and confidence.” —josephr37

Related article: The Triumphant Return Of Body Sprays

BEST WOODY

Dolce & Gabbana The One For Men Eau de Toilette

PROS

• Great for daily wear

CONS

• Not ideal for fresh or fruit-forward scent lovers

Dolce & Gabbana’s The One’s eau de toilette is ideal for the person who loves spicy scents as much as woody ones. Earthy grapefruit and basil notes masterfully blend with cardamom and ginger with a finish of tobacco, amber, and cedarwood to complete this masculine scent masterpiece.

One satisfied customer writes:

“Perfect daily fragrance easy to wear very pleasing to the nose not very aggressive/strong.” —Kimonono

This article originally appeared in Harper’s BAZAAR US.