The 9 Best Non-Citrus Summer Colognes

One of our favorite Diptyque fragrances, the Philosykos EDT is a beautiful, herbal embodiment of a Greek fig tree. It’s polished and refreshing with a crisp, green, and dewy opening that moves into a naturally sweet fig note and is underscored throughout by soft woods.Fragrance FamilyHerbal, freshNotesFig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood, black pepperSizes1.7 oz, 3.4 ozInstead of the juicy, zesty kind of freshness you get from a citrus cologne, Fine’ry’s Jungle Vetiver EDP is fresh in a dry, earthy kind of way. The star of the show here is, of course, vetiver—a rich, grassy scent, which is accented with spices and light musks for the perfect earthy summer cologne. And at just $30, it’s definitely worth adding to your arsenal.Fragrance FamilyEarthy, musky, spicyNotesVetiver, cardamom, black tea, carrot seedSizes2 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowOud gets a reputation as a fall and winter scent because of its rich, warm, and smoky qualities. But in Oud Minérale, the deep woodiness of oud is balanced out by salty, fresh marine notes, which actually make it a nice, unique choice for summer. So if you like a rich, smoky scent but want to lighten it up for the heat, this will be your new go-to fragrance.Fragrance FamilyWoody, aquaticNotesPink peppercorn, oud blend, styrax, ambergris accord, fir balsam, marine notesSizes0.34 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 ozAnother cologne that beautifully blends woody and aquatic notes for a fresh summer scent is Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Relying on just three scent notes—ambrette seeds, sea salt, and sage—it opens with a light musk followed by fresh sea salt, and sage provides a woody, earthy base that lingers.Fragrance FamilyFresh, aquatic, woodyNotesAmbrette seeds, sea salt, sageSizes0.34 oz, 1 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowDebaser is one of our absolute favorite colognes from D.S. & Durga, the Brooklyn-based niche fragrance house that makes some of the most unique scents out there. Inspired by indie rock music and summer heat, Debaser runs the gamut of olfactory families. It starts off woody and earthy with notes of green leaf and pear stem (and a touch of bergamot); then becomes fruity and floral with creamy fig, coconut milk, soft iris, and blond woods; and finally reveals a smooth base of tonka bean and moss.Fragrance FamilyGreen, woodyNotesBergamot, green leaf, pear stem, fig, coconut milk, iris, blond woods, tonka bean, mossSizes0.34 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 ozSpicy colognes aren’t just for winter. While most spicy fragrances are warm and cozy, some can actually be cool and fresh, like Dior’s Sauvage Eau Forte. It’s fresh, breezy, and slightly aquatic, with cool spices and rich elemi resin up top, fresh lavender at the heart, and light musks and woods at the base.Fragrance FamilyFresh, spicyNotesCool spices, elemi resin, bleached lavender, musk, woody notesSizes2 oz, 3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowSweet coconut, tropical banana and pineapple, and notes of literal pool water and swimsuit Lycra make this fragrance from world-famous sunscreen brand Vacation smell about as much like summer as you can get from an EDT. You hit the ground running with creamy coconut milk and fresh coconut water up top, and the fruity and aquatic notes that come next give it the distinct smell of wearing sunscreen by the pool. Ahhh.Fragrance FamilyFreshNotesPetitgrain essence, coconut water, coconut milk, bergamot, solar musk, banana, pineapple, pool water, swimsuit lycra, sea saltSizes0.34 oz, 1 ozWe’ve been obsessed with this fresh and floral fragrance for about six years now. If you want something that smells undeniably clean, like you just stepped out of the shower (or bath), it doesn’t get better than Bubble Bath from Maison Margiela’s Replica collection. With literal soap bubble scent notes at the top, a heart of light rose, and a base of white musks and creamy coconut milk, it’s simple and refreshing. (And don’t let the rose scare you off; it’s still very much a unisex fragrance.)Fragrance FamilyFresh, floralNotesSoap bubble accord, rose, white musk, coconut milkSizes1 oz, 3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowNot to brag, but back in early June, we called banana as the scent of the summer, and we were right on the money. Lots of new banana fragrances have been popping up recently, but our favorite is Granado’s banana EDP. It’s a fun, floral take on the natural (not artificial candy-like) scent of the banana fruit and its leaves and also features peach blossom, creamy fig, soft iris, and smooth woods.Fragrance FamilyFruity, floralNotesBanana, peach blossom, fig, iris, banana leaf, hay, musk, sandalwood, cedarSizes2.54 oz