15 Long Lasting Colognes so You Can Smell Great for Hours (2024)

THERE ARE a lot of reasons to wear a fragrance. Sometimes you want a subtle little scent that invites people to lean in a little closer; sometimes you just want to cover up your natural musk; and sometimes, boom—you want to make an impression. What you don’t usually want, however, is a scent that fades away within a few hours or, worse, a few minutes. You took time to spray it—it should last a while, right?

Long lasting colognes exist for all of those reasons. Some are fresh, some are deep and woody, and all of them negate the need to reapply. It’s not just about sillage, the fancy fragrance-speak term for how long a scent lingers in the air behind you. A long lasting cologne will stay on your skin usually for about 6-8 hours (sometimes more!) and, while it may evolve with time and the chemistry of your skin, it will always make an impression. These long lasting colognes cover a lot of fragrance families—from fresh to woody to spicy—so no matter what your pleasure, there’s one on this list that’s bound to please your nose.

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In case the word “intenso” doesn’t tip you off, this long lasting scent is heavy on the citrus at first spray and then dries down to a woody note that stays on your skin for hours giving an elegant, but inoffensive, vibe to your day.

Named for the Roman god of love himself, this sexy and inviting fragrance is ideal for nighttime activities. It’s a parfum, the most concentrated kind of fragrance, which means you won’t have to worry about the fresh, warm, inviting scent fading as the hours tick toward (and past) midnight.

This cologne has shades of the unapologetically masculine Drakkar Noir scent, but updated for a new generation thanks to fresh notes of bergamot and herbal lavender along with a dash of spicy coriander. A few spritzes will last for hours (and hours).

You probably know Aqua di Gio, one of the best selling men’s fragrances in history, but this new, more concentrated version ups the ante with brighter citrus notes and deeper base notes of musk and sea-like minerals. It’s fresher and more aquatic than other long lasting fragrances, but stays on your skin for way longer than the original.

Wood notes are some of the longest lasting in general and this intense scent has them in spades—including three different types of cedar at the base. Incense and benzoin lend a spicy element that’s strong and masculine, but work to compliment the woods, not overpower them.

You know the classic Sauvage, another iconic men’s fragrance. This version, Elixir, ups the ante with a more extreme concentration that means it lasts even longer than the original. A few sprays last around 8 hours, so use sparingly.

Another exceedingly popular men’s fragrance, this eau de parfum (meaning the highest concentration of scent) is the longest lasting of all the versions of Bleu de Chanel. It’s also the woodiest version—coincidence? We think not.

A dash of oud mixed with this many woods can only mean one thing: staying power. This scent just exudes confident and elegance. Use it sparingly, but purposefully and, most importantly, when you really want to make an impression.

This rich, exotic scent is confidence in a bottle. This exclusif version is heavier on the woods than the original and a healthy dose of earthy oud adds a seductive element that is impossible to ignore. Just a few sprays stay on your skin nearly all day and demand attention no matter where you are.

Notice a trend here? This new version of BOSS Bottled is a parfum, meaning it’s highly concentrated. A strong cocktail of woods, spices and leather make this the most attention-seeking, and longest lasting, scent of the BOSS bottled family.

Unlike the wood-heavy colognes on this lis, the tonka bean and vanilla base notes in this surprising fragrance lend it a sweetness that stays on your skin for hours giving it an inviting warm scent, but the lemon and incense notes keep it from becoming to sticky sweet.

The famous Iso E Super molecule from Escentric Molecules reacts to your unique body chemistry to smell different on your skin than anyone else’s. This version, with the addition of Guaiac Wood, is smokier and woodier—and lasts way longer.

“Gentleman” is an apt description for this traditional-smelling fragrance that calls to mind whiskey on the rocks drunk in a leather armchair. It’s an old school vibe that is achingly masculine and, while comfortable, is bound to turn heads.

Inspired by the Middle Eastern gemstone Black Onyx, said to hold powerful energy, this scent is all about stepping into your own power. It’s aggressive, thanks to the healthy dose of rich oud, and fit for a king.

Unlike the other oud fragrances on this list that are mixed with woods, this one is floral, but in a decidedly masculine way - the way Middle Eastern kings of old wore rose oil as their signature scent. It takes confidence to wear, but when you do, you make a lasting impression.

The fragrance world has categories - Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum and Parfum—that let you know how concentrated the actual scent is within the formula. Eau de Parfum and Parfum are the highest concentration, which means they will last the longest on your skin. If you’re looking for a long lasting fragrance, look for “parfum” on the label. If you don’t see it, look for other words like “intense” which describe the same idea.

Usually wood notes, including oud, and gourmand notes like vanilla will last the longest on your skin, which is why they are typically used in base notes of fragrances.

Traditionally, fragrance notes are arranged in a fragrance pyramid—top notes at the top, heart notes in the middle, and base notes at the bottom. Top notes are what you smell immediately when you spray a fragrance (these are usually fresh notes like citrus). Heart notes are what you smell after a few minutes and base notes are what you smell after an hour or so once the scent has “dried down” on your skin. Base notes stay around the longest.

You can expect most quality fragrances to last anywhere from four to eight hours, though some long lasting colognes can last even longer. Conversely, lower quality or inexpensive fragrances can last a shorter period as many don’t contain base notes.

How long a fragrance lasts depends on plenty of factors—not just how it is designed and how concentrated it is. It also reacts to the unique body chemistry of your skin, so to help a fragrance last longer, always spray it onto clean and moisturized skin to help it stick better. Apply it to your pulse points (like your wrists and neck) which are warm and help to release the fragrance into the air. Some people also say to not rub it in, which can cause the top notes to fade more quickly (we aren’t exactly sold on this as a hard and fast rule, but it can be worth a try). If you really want to up and ante, use a body lotion or deodorant that has the same scent (this is where fragrance gift sets come in handy).