Best Colognes for Teenage Guys [14 COOL IDEAS]
Updated January 2023
How We Found the Best Colognes for Teens
5 Experts Interviewed
27 Fragrances Tested
Top 10 Picks
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Liam Carson
Smelling good is not just reserved for adults!
As a guy moves into their teenage years, it is normal to start looking for ways to look and feel good. Finding a nice cologne is a really great way to do it.
Fresher, sportier aromas really suit teen boys as these fragrances exude youth and energy.
Today, we will be taking a look at the best colognes for teenage guys in 2021.
The fragrances we have selected are especially budget-friendly and versatile, so you can wear them on most occasions.
One piece of advice! Teenagers sometimes have a habit of applying more cologne than necessary. Just remember, less is more, and the rule of thumb should be around 1 or 2 sprays maximum.
Although our list is tailored for the teenage guy, they are equally as appropriate to those in their tweens. These smell great regardless of your age!
Summary List
Fragrances for Teens Ranked by Cologne Critic ®
Why we chose it
This Lacoste fragrance was inspired by the crisp Lacoste polo shirts popular amongst teenagers, representing simplicity, elegance and freshness. From this inspiration comes a very active and sporty aroma.
Classed as a woody floral, Blanc has top notes of grapefruit, cardamom and rosemary with a core of tuberose and ylang-ylang. The base are notes of leather, suede and cedar.
Fans of this fragrance enjoy it because it is very clean-smelling and easy to wear – a perfect first dive into the world of colognes for a young adult.
Given its top floral notes, it’s not overpowering, so you don’t have to worry about over application! The best thing is, it’s relatively affordable.
As this fragrance is a little lighter, it’s our top choice when it comes to the best high school fragrance.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Leather
- Fresh Spicy
Our Take
Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme Ultime is an exciting fragrance, opening with a citrus explosion consisting of grapefruit, ginger and cardamom, followed by floral notes of rose.
It is incredibly fresh and uplifting and has earned its place amongst many men’s regular cologne choices.
Despite the rose featuring prominently, it by no means comes across as feminine. L’Homme Ultime is beautifully fresh, uplifting and slightly sweet, perfect for the summer months.
This is a very versatile fragrance and works well in the day or during the evening.
A great youthful summer scent which makes it a popular cologne for teenage guys.
Main Accords
- Woody
- Aromatic
- Warm Spicy
Our Take
Next up in our list we have Eau Fraiche by Versace, which is a wonderfully fresh aquatic.
Delivering the citrusy kick in the top are notes of lemon, bergamot, rosewood and rose. The heart features a herbal mix of sage, tarragon, pepper and cedar, while the base is amber, musk and saffron.
It is a fantastic balance between not being too mature or too youthful.
Eau Fraiche is a very safe scent, making it ideal to use for school or college, especially in the summer months.
It’s a very affordable choice by a reputable fragrance house. It would be a great addition to any young teenagers collection.
Main Accords
- Woody
- Citrus
- Aromatic
Our Take
Voyage by Nautica, a fresh fragrance featuring notes of the sea. Voyage is regarded very highly in the fragrance community, so you can be assured you are wearing something of quality if you choose to buy a bottle of this.
Nautica opens up with a very inoffensive ‘green’ aroma of apple and green leaves, which many people liken to cucumber.
A pure summer scent, you really can’t go wrong purchasing a bottle of Voyage, especially if this is your first-ever fragrance.
We love this choice for young guys as it exudes youth, is not overpowering and is particularly kind on the wallet.
This is an excellent choice for weekend beach house trips during the summer, or for every day wear to school or college.
Main Accords
- Floral
- Fruity
- Fresh
Our Take
Word of warning – this turns head, so make sure your teenager is ready for the attention!
This is an incredibly sweet and powerful fragrance and is definitely one of our favorites for men of whatever age. This will last a long time on your skin and projects a long way, so we really recommend applying moderately.
1 Million is definitely a popular fragrance, but for a good reason. Cinnamon, leather and amber are the prominent notes here which work incredibly well together to give off a warm and comforting vibe.
The bottle is a real selling point and looks very expensive despite being relatively affordable.
Given its sweetness, it’s especially suited towards fall or winter. The sweet aroma could come off quite ‘sickly’ during the summer months.
Main Accords
- Nutty
- Sweet
- Woody
Our Take
360 Red by Perry Ellis is a perfect first step into the world of colognes, for teens who may be curious. Many compare this to the smell of Acqua di Gio, at a fraction of the cost.
360 Red is an Oriental spicy fragrance which contains top notes of line, bergamot and cinnamon, followed by lavender and coriander in the mid. The base finishes with musk and cloves, giving an oriental angle.
Inexpensive yet fresh and invigorating, you can’t go wrong with having a bottle of this in your collection.
Our one complaint is the look of the bottle, which can come across a little feminine. Possibly not something a teenage boy would want to keep in his school bag.
Main Accords
- Aromatic
- Citrus
- Fresh Spicy
Our Take
Ralph Lauren is a common choice amongst teenagers when purchasing their first cologne.
The fragrance opens with a zesty lemon aroma, shortly followed by delicious mango. Despite being fruity, the overall aroma is definitely masculine.
Sandalwood, patchouli and tonka bean help the fragrance achieve an elegant smoothness which lasts a long time on the skin, up to 10 hours!
In our opinion, Polo Black is an excellent and reliable scent, one of the best colognes for 15, 16 and 17-year-old boys.
We love this as a vacation cologne. Think hot summer days on the beach basking in the sun with the crash of waves in the background.
Main Accords
- Fruity
- Woody
- Tropical
Our Take
Fierce by Abercrombie and Fitch, by all accounts, is a standout fragrance. This one turns heads, no matter your age.
Fierce is classed as a woody aromatic and has been a fan favorite ever since its release in 2002. It features top notes of lemon, cardamom and orange, for a zesty opener. The middle note have a floral, herby concoction of rosemary, rose, lily and sage, followed by vetiver, musk rosewood and sandalwood in the base.
While testing, we received some fantastic compliments about this fragrance. Wearing this is a real confidence booster.
The downside is it’s quite expensive. For that reason, we think it makes for an excellent choice for a gift, perhaps for a milestone birthday (16 years old).
Main Accords
- Woody
- Citrus
- Aromatic
Our Take
Rochas Man is another affordable choice on our list of top fragrances for teenagers.
The main notes in Rochas Man are coffee and vanilla, which make the scent itself very sweet, yet pleasing. The warm richness of the coffee vanilla combo makes this uniquely suited to winter. Still, there is no issue wearing this all year round.
Very inoffensive and easy to like, a teenager would have no trouble wearing this to school or simply to hang out with friends.
Main Accords
- Coffee
- Vanilla
- Sweet
Our Take
Sauvage by Dior is an incredible scent and has topped many “best cologne” lists.
Since it’s release in 2015 which was fronted by Johnny Depp, Sauvage has gone on to become a global bestseller.
Citrusy and fresh, this is undeniably a man’s fragrance which has a unique character, guaranteed to get compliments.
Sauvage features top notes of pepper and bergamot, followed by geranium, lavender patchouli, pepper and vetiver in the mid. Finally, in the base, we have ambergris, labdanum and cedar which deliver a powerful punch.
Longevity and projection are really great on this fragrance, so again, less is more.
This is definitely one for the assertive, older teenager just starting college, looking to smell great after soccer practice.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Amber
- Fresh Spicy
Other Colognes We Considered
Expert Tips
This is a difficult question to answer in general. There aren’t any hard and fast rules, so it all depends on your personal situation.
Young men will begin to develop body odor in their teens, at which time it makes perfect sense for them to start using body spray and step up their hygiene.
Making the switch to wearing cologne is the next step from there, especially as they start becoming more conscious about appearance.
Many inoffensive, fresh and light fragrances on the market can be used by teenagers of any age, so you should easily be able to find something suitable.
Absolutely! Why not? Used appropriately, perfume or cologne is beautiful to use at school.
We must remind you that less is more. Don’t go spraying it on like bug spray as it can become overpowering and offensive to others. 1 or 2 sprays is more than enough to leave you smelling great.
Not to mention, if you are in a small classroom all day, you could end up getting some complaints.
If possible, select something light and fresh, such as an aquatic. These fragrances are the least offensive to others noses, while still getting lots of compliments.
Read our list of best high school fragrances for some inspiration and ideas.
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Researched by a team of fragrance experts.