Are you wondering which fragrance is the best Hollister cologne for men? We’ve got the answers for you in this article, so read on to find out which of this California company’s scents is best for you.
With one of the shortest histories of any fragrance company, Hollister has only been making colognes and perfumes for 10 years. Even so, they’ve produced a number of cult status hits, and continue to make modern and affordable fragrances each year.
In this guide, we’ll be examining and comparing Hollister’s many colognes to bring you our choices for the best Hollister colognes for men. With each bottle, you’ll find notes on how it smells, when to wear it, and a little bit about what makes it stand out from the crowd.
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5 Best Smelling Hollister Cologne For Men In 2022
Deciding on the best smelling Hollister colognes for men was easy, thanks to the popularity of their most unforgettable formulations. We’ve listed our five favorite picks below, with choices for every budget and style.
Hollister Wave (Our Top Pick)
The most fresh, energetic, and youthful of all Hollister’s colognes, Hollister Wave is an invigorating fragrance that makes a lasting impression. Made in the woody aromatic style, it debuted in 2016 and has since become one of Hollister’s top sellers.
Asian-inspired top notes of yuzu peel and bamboo leaf are joined by safe and easygoing white grapefruit. In the heart, you’ll find fields of lavender alongside cypress trees and bitter orange oil. The base of Hollister Wave might be its most interesting component, though: Filled with sea salt and driftwood, it’s given depth by musk and spicy-sweet tonka bean.
Long lasting with a moderate intensity, Hollister Wave isn’t just a fun and exciting cologne — it’s also a great value. While it performs best in spring and summer, you’ll find that it provides a breath of fresh air and instant good vibes any time of year.
Notes:
- Top notes of yuzu, bamboo leaf, and grapefruit
- Middle notes of lavender, cypress, and neroli
- Base notes of salt, driftwood, musk, and tonka bean
Best For:
- Making a fresh and energetic impression
- Warm weather wear
Hollister Festival Vibes
One of Hollister’s most recent additions to their fragrance collection, Festival Vibes debuted in 2018. It’s in the classic aromatic fougere style of fruit top notes and animalic base notes, making it a real attention-grabber of a summertime cologne.
Juicy pineapple is joined by seawater and birch leaf in Festival Vibe’s top notes, making it approachable and interesting at the same time. Moving to the heart of ginger, wood resin, and bay leaf, you’ll also notice the constant presence of oceanic ambergris, dusty oakmoss, and sweet tonka bean in its base. Overall, this combination makes for a strongly masculine cologne that’s still fresh and fun, like an aquatic cologne.
Offering a decent longevity with a strong opening intensity that quickly fades to a mellow dry down, Festival Vibes comes on strong but eases off quickly. As the name implies, it’s a fantastic choice for wearing to festivals and concerts, but performs equally well at beach or barbecue parties.
Notes:
- Top notes of pineapple, sea notes, and birch leaf
- Middle notes of ginger, green notes, woody notes, and bay leaf
- Base notes of ambergris, oakmoss, and tonka bean
Best For:
- Wearing to summertime concerts and festivals
- Wearing to the beach
Hollister Jake
Of all the colognes and perfumes in Hollister’s catalog, Jake might be the most easygoing. It’s never too assertive and never overbearing, making it a safe choice for guys who aren’t yet sure if they enjoy wearing cologne or not. Made in the woody aromatic style, it’s close enough to classically masculine without being boring.
A wide mix of citrus peels joins salt and fresh sea air in Jake’s top notes, which fade quickly to reveal an attractive heart of cedarwood and juicy pineapple. In the base notes, you’ll find more of this oceanic tone — complete with driftwood and sea salt. Though it’s not a traditionally masculine base, the woody and salty tones work beautifully to complement the juicier top notes.
With one of the shortest durations of any Hollister cologne, as well as a restrained and intimate intensity, Jake is designed to make subtle adjustments to your scent. If you’re looking to try Hollister colognes for the first time, especially if you’re a young man or even if you’re a teen looking for their first cologne, it’s a great place to start.
Notes:
- Top notes of orange, lemon, lime, bergamot, and sea notes
- Middle notes of cedar and pineapple
- Base notes of driftwood and salt
Best For:
- Becoming your everyday scent
- Making a subtle impression
Hollister So Cal
Ahhh, yes — Hollister SoCal. The most infamous of all Hollister fragrances, this is the cologne that’s liberally applied to every Hollister store you’ve ever been in. An oriental fougere, it aims to make a strongly exotic and tropical impression on everyone in your immediate vicinity.
The entirety of Hollister SoCal’s composition is designed around one idea: Evoking the tropics. Pineapple, lemon, and orange dominate the cologne’s intense top notes, while coconut and guava are joined by exotic flowers in the fleeting heart notes. Leather and amber provide a contextual base, but you’re not likely to notice them over the intensely fruity top and middle.
As soon as you smell SoCal, it’s gone in a flash — offering an exceptionally short duration that’s offset by its incredible intensity. SoCal doesn’t so much lay on your skin as make a sphere of scent that follows you where you go, making it a great choice for drawing as much attention to yourself as possible. Apply sparingly, as a little bit goes a long way.
Notes:
- Top notes of pineapple, lemon, and orange
- Middle notes of coconut, guava, and frangipani
- Base notes of leather and amber
Best For:
- Reminiscing on high school
- Perfuming an entire room
Hollister Coastline
Remarkably similar to Abercrombie & Fitch’s Fierce, Hollister Coastline debuted shortly after the previous fragrance was discontinued in 2002. An aromatic fruity style cologne, it’s strong on the fruit scents but graciously anchored by masculine woody tones.
A whole bowl of fruits is present in Coastline’s top notes, from mandarin orange to green apple to lemon and even pineapple. Herbal clary sage and resinous cedarwood pair up for this cologne’s heart notes, while a wide selection of exotic woods and wood resins comprise the base.
With moderate longevity and moderate intensity, Coastline is an excellent all-rounder of a cologne that’s at home in most environments and on most occasions. It’s especially good in the warmer months of the year, or for freshening up after a trip to the gym.
Notes:
- Top notes of mandarin orange, green apple, lemon, and pineapple
- Middle notes of clary sage and cedar
- Base notes of exotic woods and wood resins
Best For:
- Spring and summer wear
- Freshening up after a workout
Which Hollister Cologne Smells The Best?
When we think of which cologne smells best, our minds immediately go to context. What season are you in? What sort of occasion do you want to wear the cologne for? Answer these, and you’ll be able to narrow down your choices to the best pick for that specific moment.
For example: Hollister Wave is fantastic for any warm weather wear, where its fruity and aromatic notes will disperse to give a fresh and energetic atmosphere all around you. Even more exaggerated than that, you could go for Festival Vibes to draw attention to yourself in outdoor settings where other colognes might fade too quickly. New to cologne? Then Jake should definitely be your first stop, since it’s the easiest and most approachable of their entire lineup.
What Is The Most Popular Hollister Cologne?
Of all the colognes in Hollister’s lineup, it’s Hollister Wave that consistently grabs the most attention. There’s something about its blend of classic inspiration and modern accents that has drawn it legions of fans — and we’d have to agree that it’s easily the best smelling Hollister cologne available today.
The real magic of Hollister Wave comes in its versatility. Like most of Hollister’s offerings, it does best for warm weather wear. Even so, it’s a balanced enough composition that you can wear it any time of year to make a vibrant, energetic impression that’s hard to find in most other colognes.
Brian Adee
Brian has been fascinated with fragrances since his 8th birthday, when his Dad gifted him a bottle of Acqua di Gio. Since then, he has become a men's grooming & style aficionado who teaches men how to look sharp. Backed by personal experience, Brian's articles are known for his no-holds-barred style where he holds nothing back. You will get his real opinions on the latest men's grooming products and best practices where he reveals the best (and worst) style advice every man should know.