I test men's fragrances for a living – these are my expert picks from the Black Friday sales
Smell better for less with these hand-picked scents
Testing the best men's fragrances on the market is a big part of my job here at T3. I've tried just about everything you could imagine – from household name bottles from major brands right through to niche perfumeries you've never heard of.
With Black Friday right around the corner, I've had a look through the deals on offer to find the best of the best. These are my hand-picked recommendations for smelling great – whether you're looking to treat yourself, or to gift a loved one.
What is the best smelling men's fragrance?
What smells good to you will be a very personal thing, but every scent on this list is either tried and tested by me personally, or comes very highly recommended from other scent reviewers with trustworthy opinions.
It's worth trying to work out what family of scent you like most – spicey, citrussy, leathery – and working from there. If you're really stuck, I'd recommend starting with either the Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Elixir or the Ralph Lauren Ralph's Club New York bottles from the list above. Those are pretty safe blind buys, and are quintessential modern male fragrances.
What's the difference between Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette?
The difference all comes down to the concentration of the fragrance in the bottle. Eau de Parfum is a higher concentration of fragrance for the same volume, which can often give a more intense fragrance, with better longevity.
It's not a hard and fast rule, though. The most important thing is a well-crafted fragrance, as they can often defy their strength. Acqua di Parma's Colonia Essenza is a great example of that – cologne strength is fairly weak, but it still lasts all day on my skin.
It's also worth noting that the profile of a fragrance can change fairly dramatically between different strengths – don't assume something you like in an EDT will also be enjoyed in an EDP.
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