The 90s was a time when boy bands were at the height of their popularity and the curtain hairstyle was a go-to for every guy. But smelling good was just as important and as such there are so many great old school men’s colognes, particularly from the 1990s.
If you’ve been wanting a blast from the past then wearing one of the top men’s fragrances of the 90s is sure to do that. Before you know it you’ll be back in that movie theater watching The Crow on a nervous first date with the woman that later became your wife!
Watch this video and discover the most popular 90s colognes:
Top 15 Of The Most Popular 90s Men’s Colognes
1. Versace Blue Jeans (1994)
With a cowboy adorning the outer packaging of Versace Blue Jeans, there’s a real all-American character to it before you’ve even caught a whiff. Maybe the launch of this fragrance was to do with the elite Dallas Cowboys team of 1993, but I’m speculating.
But that said, I did get a really sporty vibe from this 90s cologne, even if it wasn’t designed to feel that way. It’s actually intended to be a classic fragrance but with the citrus notes, it just feels that much fresher.
Blue Jeans was hugely popular after its launch and this affordable men’s perfume from the 90s is still around today.
2. Clinique Happy For Men (1999)
Happy for men by Clinique was launched right at the end of the 90s but it really made a statement on the decade. This was a brilliant spring/summer fragrance with bursts of citrus notes and a woody base.
What was great about Happy is that it was something you could wear daily. And so many people did. I remember smelling this on so many men in the late 90s. It was a youthful, uplifting fragrance that made you feel confident and I’ve still got a bottle somewhere in the cabinet to this day!
3. CK One (1994)
Is there anything that encapsulates everything that the 90s was about better than CK One? Simplicity, cleanness, and super-trendy style are everything this fragrance was about. Yes, it was a unisex perfume from the 90s but it’s become something of an icon.
CK One is bright, uplifting as well as versatile. It was, and still is a signature scent for a lot of people. With a great blend of fruity notes, florals, woods, and musk, it seems that CK One is the perfume for all occasions.
Everyone from young boys still in high school to sophisticated older men would douse themselves in CK One for an instantly recognizable scent.
4. Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey (1994)
Many people would view L’Eau D’Issey as one of the classic old men’s colognes and I can see why. Today, it’s typically reserved for a more mature, sophisticated gent. But back when it was launched in 1994, it was designed to be a universal fragrance.
L’Eau D’Issey is a fresh, aquatic cologne from the 90s with a real timeless feel. That said, it does invoke nostalgia and I’m pretty sure this was one of my dad’s go-tos in the 90s. There are a lot of citrus accords with a woody base which was a theme that was popular in this decade.
L’Eau D’Issey was easy to wear and gave you an elegant, fresh, and masculine feel that was ideal for summer.
5. Davidoff Cool Water (1988)
Not a single one of us can deny that we’ve owned a bottle of Cool Water at one point or another. This is probably one of the most notable fragrances for men of the 90s. While it was released just before the decade began, it certainly saw popularity throughout and even out the other side into the 2000s.
Cool Water is refreshing but has a musky, woody base that gives it something of a sexy character. The TV ads with shirtless models certainly gave us all something to aspire to. Cool Water was a go-to if you wanted a daring, original signature scent.
6. Joop Homme 1989
OK, let me be honest, Joop Homme is sickening to me and far too in your face. But, it’s not just my opinion that matters because regardless, this was one of the popular men’s colognes of the 90s. Yes, it was launched one year prior to the start of the decade but the 90s is when it really took off.
Joop Homme is an amber fougere fragrance with a lot of warm notes like tobacco, honey, vetiver, and cinnamon. It’s ridiculously rich and a few sprays go a very long way. I remember smelling this on so many people in the 90s and it was unmistakable. It still is!
7. Egoiste Chanel (1990)
Chanel is and always has been an elegant and sophisticated luxury brand. If you wanted to feel classy as a guy in the 90s, Egoiste was a fragrance you’d run to. Chanel describes Egoiste as conservative but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an element of fun to its character.
It almost feels deadly serious to me but with a sensual masculine undertone. This dual character makes it suitable for a variety of occasions. While this was one you’d save for special occasions in the 90s owing to the high price, Egoiste made you feel like you were the King of the World; move over Leo DiCaprio!
8. Tommy Tommy Hilfiger (1995)
I feel that Tommy and the female equivalent, Tommy Girl, were real staples of the 90s. This cologne was great for younger guys as it was affordable and also had a fresh, youthful scent. But while some of the notes are typical of 90s cologne for men, Tommy also features some unique accords like cactus and cotton flower.
For this reason, the fragrance really took off because it gave people something new to smell. But it wasn’t offensive or in your face and all of these things make it another of those sporty men’s perfumes from the decade.
9. Nautica Nautica For Men (1992)
Nautica was an interesting fragrance for men from the 90s that seemed to be popular among the older crowd. It has quite a complex blend of notes and so many of these are classic 90s scents. You’ll notice the very aldehydic character of Nautica, which is something I personally love. Although, it’s not for everyone.
Launched in 1992, Nautica remained popular throughout the 90s, especially on those long, hot summers. It was a clean scent that you could easily wear day to day which is probably why it was so well-loved.
10. CK Be (1996)
Following the success of CK One, it came as no surprise that Calvin Klein decided to release another unisex fragrance in the middle of the 90s. Where CK One came in a light bottle, CK Be came in a black bottle so it had more of a mysterious character.
Not only was CK Be mysterious, but it was also incredibly sexy. The muskiness of this 90s cologne was super enticing but not at all brash. In fact, CK Be was a delicate scent that allowed you to feel sexy and powerful even in your day-to-day activities.
11. Hugo Hugo Boss (1995)
There is something about the bottle that contains Hugo by Hugo Boss that immediately takes me back to the 90s. This was a cologne that every guy wanted to get his hands on because it was fresh, masculine, and youthful.
This is why Hugo became very popular with the school crowd. Teen boys doused themselves in Hugo in an attempt to win over the popular girl. Did it work? Probably not for most people but we certainly had fun trying.
12. Acqua Di Gio Armani (1996)
The very appearance of the bottle for Acqua di Gio is so 90s. That clean, simple, elegant look featured on so many flacons and worked so well for this now classic fragrance. Acqua di Gio was a highly aromatic yet airy fragrance that had a very sophisticated feel to it.
This was a 90s men’s fragrance that was worn by your uncle or your dad’s classy friend. It wasn’t something we younger folk veered to and even today, Acqua di Gio is known for being a mature, cool, and sophisticated scent. Being a very noticeable scent, wearing Acqua di Gio makes you feel confident and able to take on the world.
13. Le Mâle Jean Paul Gaultier (1995)
As soon as Le Male was released, it felt as though everyone had bathed in the stuff. Even moving into the early 2000s when I started going out clubbing, men were covering themselves in JPG’s classic scent. So much so that I actually now find it a little offensive.
That said, objectively speaking, Le Male is a nice fragrance. It’s a unique and not too complex blend, making it instantly recognizable. There’s nothing else that smells quite like it so it works so well as a signature scent.
And I can’t possibly write a review of Le Male without mentioning that iconic bottle!
14. Polo Sport Ralph Lauren (1994)
As a young teen in the 90s, I distinctly remember slightly older guys wearing this and I thought it was the bomb! There is something uber cool about Polo Sport that lies somewhere between being a football king and a ladies’ man.
Polo Sport is a fresh, green cologne for men from the 90s that’s got a real summery character. It wasn’t a super strong smelling fragrance but one that certainly got you noticed. This is something that every young man wanted to get his hands on, not least of all because it made you smell great without breaking the bank.
15. CK Eternity For Men (1990)
Calvin Klein was on a roll in the 90s and one of the brand’s first fragrances of the decade was Eternity for Men. My brother-in-law still swears by this classic fragrance showing what a timeless cologne it is. What’s more, it’s versatile enough to be worn by guys of all ages.
Eternity has some of those classic 90s accords but also has hints of rosewood, which I personally love, and amber so it has a warm and comforting finish. Eternity was a popular signature scent for men in the 90s because it was inoffensive but certainly made a statement. There was something uber cool about wearing it and you’ll still get that feeling if you splash a bit on your skin today.
Final Thoughts
The 90s were famous for a lot of things; movies like Jurassic Park, Deep Impact, and Armageddon were taking over our screens, Bryan Adams crushed the charts back in 1991 with his record-breaking stint at the top and supermodels were everywhere you looked.
But for me, the thing that really stood out in this decade was the massive number of men’s colognes that were launched. Now iconic fragrances like CK One and Acqua Di Gio found their roots in the 90s and they’ll forever serve as a reminder of this amazing decade.
