Smell Good: 15 Best Cheap Cologne’s for Men

Before you get to the mossy base note, you’ll be hit with a touch of floral apples, a strange mix that you wouldn’t expect to work well together. In practice, they’re actually a great pairing as you work down to that lasting base note.

The overall scent may not last long, but at such an affordable price, it’s a forgivable offense. Looking past its shortcoming, this is a refreshing Eau de Toilette that does exactly what you want it to do.

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The scent, which may fade within a few hours, starts off with a citrus orange top note that doesn’t fade until the medium notes of star anise and red pimento linger. You’ll also likely get a hint of cardamom, though it may be overshadowed by the star anise. What awaits after is a top note of orange and wood, a unique combination that works much better than it sounds.

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The lower price does mean it has a shorter longevity, but even after it’s dissipated, it’s tough to truly rid yourself of that musky aroma that’s sure to attract plenty of attention. Quorum is the mature man’s fragrance and makes a statement about the individual wearing it. The woodsy aura created by it will leave any man feeling like they can dominate a room just with their strong but pleasing scent.

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Beneath that, balsam fir, vetiver, and dark amber round out the medium and base notes, creating an aroma that sticks with those that smell it. It’s a spicier aroma than many fragrances without crossing the line into unpleasant. The price really makes it difficult to pass up and once you catch a small scent from the bottle, you’ll need to add it to your selection of affordable colognes.

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Though it exists because of the popularity of the women’s fragrance, Spicebomb does a fine job of separating itself from the source material. The scent is a mix of grapefruit, pink pepper, cinnamon, grapefruit, and more manly notes like saffron, leather, tobacco, and Vetiver. It sounds more like a fine whiskey than a cologne.

The notes of spice are the key in drawing in attention while the lighter, more refreshing aromas are what get people to stick around and chat.

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This mildly inexpensive Eau de Cologne hides within its skull bottle an appealing fragrance that both men and women will love. At first spray, you’ll get hints of cardamom and orange that fade gently into a subtle mossy note. The base scent is a musky aroma that lingers for a while, exuding a masculinity one would want from their fragrance.

You’ll spend a little more than other inexpensive brands, but what you get is a fragrance that does not disappoint.

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Right off the top you’ll get a floral and sandalwood scent, accented by sweet vanilla. At its core, a herbal scent lightens up the flowery scent before segueing into a sandalwood, myrrh, vanilla, and patchouli scent. Ps seems to change over time, so how it smells right out of the bottle will be completely different from its final scent 20 minutes later.

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The bright blue liquid kicks off with an herbaceous blend of basil and clove. As its longevity starts to wear off, which it will within only a few hours, you’re left with a pleasing mix of nutmeg and sage.

Royal Copenhagen Musk is a good evening fragrance. It’s not too strong or potent but will still be subtly noticeable by those around you. Though it’s more than 40 years old, Royal Copenhagen has aged well and has remained a memorable scent.

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Quality is a common Gucci quality and with Guilty, you’ll walk around with the comfort of knowing that the scent will last all day. This long-lasting fragrance stands up to the hardest days with base notes of musky wood and orris.

For a Gucci product, Guilty is very reasonably priced, especially considering how long it lasts and how good it smells. If you have a woman in your life you’d like to share this scent with, it’s often considered a “unisex” cologne.

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It’s a natural fragrance of sweet apple, mint, citrus rounded off in a woody base note. The natural aroma is pleasing, making it easy to wear on any occasion. Despite being more on the reasonable side of pricing, Azzaro Wanted isn’t dissimilar from more expensive colognes.

Wanted doesn’t assault your senses with a pungent odor, which is one of the best qualities you can ask for in a fragrance. It’s a gentle aroma that blends in well with the world around you.

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Before you get to that appealing woody aroma, you’re hit with a mix of cardamom milk, pink pepper, vanilla orchid, vetiver, amber, musk, sandalwood, and violet leaves. It may sound like a lot for one small bottle, but it all blends well for an airy and mild.

For the price, you wind up with something that’s magnetic, a pleasant aroma with sweet, floral notes that dissipate into a more manly woody base note.

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The top notes blend well with the medium and base notes of tonka beans, amber, vanilla, cedarwood, vetiver, and oak moss. The overall experience is very masculine and is sure to attract the attention of the opposite sex.

Though turquoise, the color of the bottle, may appear to be very feminine in nature, it’s actually more of a masculine shade in general.

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Top Notes:

These notes are what you smell the moment you spray the cologne. They’re generally lighter and more delicate than the more lingering notes and will only last about 15-minutes to two-hours, depending on the brand. Expect scents of floral, citrus, powders, and spices.

Medium Notes:

Lasting upwards of five hours after being sprayed, these notes of jasmine, cinnamon, clove, or grass are a bit stronger than top notes, but still not overpowering. They’re pleasing, but will be overtaken by the much stronger base notes.

Base Notes:

When it comes to notes, the base note is typically the scent you smell throughout the duration of the day. Depending on the lasting power of the fragrance, base notes can last up to ten hours. These aromas are more along the sandalwoods, leathers, moss, and vanillas. The base note is the fragrance that will draw people to you as its masculine overtones are an attractor.