Top 6 compared
The best men's aftershaves
A few sprays of a good scent after the morning shave, for work, weekends and nights out.
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The top 6 at a glance
The aftershaves here are men’s fragrances in spray bottles, worn on the neck or chest. Most are eau de toilette; parfum is the stronger concentration, so one spray goes further. Each scent also sits in a family: woody scents are warm and grounded, aromatic ones brighter and lighter, and plenty sit somewhere in between.
The notes describe how it changes on the skin. Top notes are the first impression, the heart follows, and the base notes are what lingers, so a scent that opens on bright citrus can finish on leather and wood. The families are each fashion house’s own words, so they’re a starting point rather than a rule.
What matters
- The bottle size in ml, to compare prices like for like.
- The exact version, since one name can cover several strengths.
- A smaller bottle first, if the scent is new to you.
#1Diesel Only The Brave Eau de Toilette (50ml)
£60 RRP
Zesty lemon and mandarin up front, leather and cedar wood underneath, in a glass bottle shaped like a clenched fist.
What owners say: Owners find it noticeable without being overpowering, praise the bottle’s shape, and one says it stays fresh for up to eight hours.
Heads up: The link opens on the 50ml bottle, the smallest here, so compare it by size as well as price.
A closer look: Bright citrus is all there is at first, and after a while the leather and cedar take over and give it a warmer, softer finish. Spraying onto skin rather than clothes lets the scent develop as it should, and at 50ml the bottle is small enough to pack in a washbag.
- Fist-shaped glass bottle
- Mandarin and coriander up front
- Small enough for a washbag
Best for: Citrus with a leather finish
- Bottle
- Eau de toilette, 50ml
- Scent family
- Woody amber
- Key notes
- Lemon, leather, cedar wood
- Launched
- 2009
#2Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Elixir Parfum (125ml)
£120 RRP
The richer, stronger side of Le Male: a parfum rather than an eau de toilette, with lavender over tonka bean and benzoin, which Gaultier files under woody aromatic amber.
What owners say: Owners love the scent and think it’s fairly priced, and one finds it lasts around eight hours on the skin.
A closer look: As a parfum it’s stronger than the eau de toilettes here, so one spray goes further: start with a single spray on the neck and add another only if it fades. At that rate the 125ml bottle, the biggest on the list, lasts a long time.
- Start with a single spray
Best for: A stronger, richer scent
- Bottle
- Parfum, 125ml
- Scent family
- Woody aromatic amber
- Key notes
- Lavender, tonka bean, benzoin
- Launched
- 2023
#3Jimmy Choo Man Blue Eau de Toilette (100ml)
£75–£100
Clary sage and black pepper give it a crisp start, with leather in the heart and a sandalwood base: a smart, modern scent in a full 100ml bottle.
What owners say: Owners describe it as fresh, and one is pleased by how generous the bottle is.
A closer look: Two sprays on the neck or chest is a good starting point, and Jimmy Choo’s directions are to spray it on healthy skin and keep it away from the eyes. At that rate the 100ml bottle lasts a long time.
- Crisp black pepper start
- Bergamot in the top notes
- Start with two sprays
Best for: Fresh, smart everyday wear
- Bottle
- Eau de toilette, 100ml
- Scent family
- Woody aromatic
- Key notes
- Clary sage, leather, sandalwood
- Launched
- 2018
#4Emporio Armani Diamonds for Men Eau de Toilette (75ml)
£30–£50
Bright bergamot and a crackle of Sichuan pepper over cedar, vetiver and cocoa: a woody scent that Armani describes as a refined fragrance for the younger, urban man, in a faceted square bottle.
What owners say: Owners call it their favourite aftershave, and find it lasts well and is good value.
A closer look: The pepper is most noticeable in the first half hour, after which the cocoa and amber soften it into something warmer and smoother. The bottle is a mid-sized one for this list, so compare it by size as well as price.
- Faceted square bottle
- Pepper strongest in first half-hour
- Softens to cocoa and amber
- Cedar and vetiver heart
Best for: Woody with a peppery spark
- Bottle
- Eau de toilette, 75ml
- Scent family
- Woody
- Key notes
- Bergamot, Sichuan pepper, cocoa
- Launched
- 2008
#5Calvin Klein CK IN2U for Him Eau de Toilette (100ml)
£57 RRP
Calvin Klein made it for a young, always-connected crowd, and it smells the part: bright tangelo and lime over pimiento and cool musks, light enough to wear every day.
What owners say: Owners call it fresh and youthful, easy to wear day to day, and one is often complimented on it.
Heads up: It’s a light scent, and some owners find it fades after a few hours, so a second spray before going out keeps it going.
A closer look: For the first few minutes the citrus is sharp and fizzy, then the pimiento and shiso heart and the musky base take over. The bottle is a simple shape that’s easy to hold, and the scent is light enough to wear to work or college.
- Sharp, fizzy citrus at first
- Shiso in the heart
- Light enough for work
- Simple bottle, easy to hold
Best for: Light, youthful and fresh
- Bottle
- Eau de toilette, 100ml
- Scent family
- Aromatic
- Key notes
- Tangelo, pimiento, cool musks
- Launched
- 2007
#6Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Eau de Toilette (75ml)
£74 RRP
Lavender, which Gaultier uses as a nod to the smell of shaving soap, meets fresh mint and warm vanilla. Francis Kurkdjian composed it in 1995.
What owners say: Owners are taken with the scent itself, and one says it has become a firm favourite with their partner.
A closer look: Mint and lavender lead, so the first impression is clean and fresh, and the vanilla comes forward as it settles on the skin. A spray or two on the neck is enough for the day, and the 75ml bottle is a sensible size to start with before moving up to a bigger one.
- Lavender nods to shaving soap
- Composed by Francis Kurkdjian
- Vanilla comes forward on skin
Best for: Clean but warm, a classic
- Bottle
- Eau de toilette, 75ml
- Scent family
- Amber aromatic
- Key notes
- Mint, lavender, vanilla
- Launched
- 1995
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1Diesel Only The Brave | #2Le Male Elixir | #3Jimmy Choo Man Blue | #4Emporio Armani Diamonds | #5CK IN2U for Him | #6Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best parfum | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 |
| Price | £60 RRP | £120 RRP | £75–£100 | £30–£50 | £57 RRP | £74 RRP |
| Bottle | Eau de toilette, 50ml | Parfum, 125ml | Eau de toilette, 100ml | Eau de toilette, 75ml | Eau de toilette, 100ml | Eau de toilette, 75ml |
| Scent family | Woody amber | Woody aromatic amber | Woody aromatic | Woody | Aromatic | Amber aromatic |
| Key notes | Lemon, leather, cedar wood | Lavender, tonka bean, benzoin | Clary sage, leather, sandalwood | Bergamot, Sichuan pepper, cocoa | Tangelo, pimiento, cool musks | Mint, lavender, vanilla |
| Launched | 2009 | 2023 | 2018 | 2008 | 2007 | 1995 |
| Best for | Citrus with a leather finish | A stronger, richer scent | Fresh, smart everyday wear | Woody with a peppery spark | Light, youthful and fresh | Clean but warm, a classic |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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