If you’re looking for the best Lacoste cologne for men, you’ll need to know three things:
- What’s the best smelling type of cologne for your skin?
- What sort of fragrances do you like best, and which Lacoste colognes match your preferences?
- Are you looking for an everyday cologne, or one for special occasions?
We’ll be answering all of those questions and more in this helpful guide to the best smelling Lacoste cologne for men. But to really get an understanding of which Lacoste colognes are the best, you might want to know a little bit about the history of the company:
Founded in France in 1933, Lacoste is most famous for their tennis wear. Their emblematic green crocodile sparked a trend in polo shirts that exploded in the 1980s — right around the time they launched their first cologne.
Since then, Lacoste has continued to focus on making fragrances for people who lead active lifestyles. If you’re an exercise enthusiast, or just want to smell like one, Lacoste might be the right cologne choice for you.
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5 Best Lacoste Cologne For Men In 2022
Follow along as we review the best fragrances that Lacoste has to offer, complete with full aromatic notes and suggestions for wearing.
Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc Pure (Our Top Pick)
Inspired by Lacoste’s iconic white polo shirt, L.12.12 Blanc Pure was released in 2014 to rave reviews. Its high woody notes and strongly aromatic citrus body have made it a perennial favorite, with some wearers citing that it is the best smelling Lacoste cologne they’ve ever tried.
Zesty grapefruit peel forms the opening salvo of the scent, accented by pungent rosemary and cardamom. Ylang-ylang, a native Indian hardwood, lends its characteristically rich and deep floral aroma to the heart of the cologne. As it fades on your skin, this fragrance’s surprising base notes of cedar and suede provide a decidedly masculine finish.
With moderate longevity and moderate intensity, L.12.12 Blanc Pure is an excellent cologne for daytime wear. Being a lighter scent, it’s better suited to spring and summer than the cooler months of the year.
Notes:
- Top notes of grapefruit, cedar, rosemary, and cardamom
- Middle notes of ylang-ylang and tuberose
- Base notes of cedar, leather, suede, and vetiver
Best For:
- Daytime wear in the spring and summer
Lacoste Red
Lively and energetic thanks to its straightforward aromatic composition, Lacoste Red is a perfect pick-me-up cologne. Launched in 2004, it’s gained a steady reputation as a fun, playful cologne that’s great for wearing to the gym or the tennis courts.
Despite its red bottle, Lacoste Red builds a fragrance out of stereotypically “green” ingredients: Green apple, pine tree, and patchouli. This gives it a short to moderate longevity, meaning that you may want to pack it in your bag to reapply once during the day.
Overall, Red is an easy scent to love thanks to its well-balanced simplicity. And with only a moderate intensity, you can feel safe wearing it just about anywhere without running the risk of offending someone’s nose.
Notes:
- Top notes of green apple
- Middle notes of pine needles
- Base notes of patchouli and vetiver
Best For:
- Wearing to the gym, daytime wear, spring and summer
Lacoste Essential
Floral, clean, and with a lightly spicy finish, Lacoste Essential is a perfect “barbershop” fragrance for men. If you love the smell and feel of being freshly shaven, then keep on reading through this Lacoste Essential perfume review; it may be the ideal scent for you.
Launched in 2005, Lacoste Essential was a major player in the men’s fragrance market for five years; now, it’s a sleeper hit that you should definitely consider revisiting. Between the high citrus opening, floral but peppery heart, and long-lasting woody base, it’s a cologne that’s appealing to almost anyone — and perfect for everyday wear.
Lasting 5 to 7 hours with a single application, Essential has good but not great longevity. It’s best thought of as an active cologne, where a small application twice per day will keep all of the pleasant high notes front and center on your body.
Notes:
- Top notes of bergamot, cassia, tangerine, and tomato leaf
- Middle notes of rose and black pepper
- Base notes of patchouli and sandalwood
Best For:
- Everyday wear, especially through the spring and summer
Lacoste Pour Homme
The warmest, fullest, and most voluptuous of all Lacoste’s colognes, Pour Homme oozes with rich aromatics. Launched in 2002, it has been a staple in the Lacoste cologne selections of men who want a deep, seductive cologne that isn’t too heavy on leathery or musky notes.
Of all Lacoste’s fragrances, Pour Homme seems most perfectly suited to nighttime wear any time of the year — but it particularly shines in the fall and winter, when its sweet rum base notes can be perfectly brought out by a warm cinnamon heart. Topped off with fresh plum, it’s an exceptionally unique cologne that’s drawn many admirers.
Longevity and intensity are both quite high for Pour Homme, meaning that a single application after work will last all night long — and get you the attention that you want while you’re out at the bar. In our opinion, Pour Homme is a cologne that every man should try at least once in their life.
Notes:
- Top notes of plum, apple, grapefruit, and bergamot
- Middle Notes of cinnamon, pink pepper, cardamom, and juniper
- Base notes of vanilla, rum, musk, sandalwood, cedar, and labdanum
Best For:
- Nighttime wear, especially when out on a date
Lacoste L’homme
One of Lacoste’s most recent offerings, L’homme was created in 2017 with the intention of providing a spicy, woodsy fragrance with high citrus notes that appeal to nearly everyone. An exotic selection of aromatic ingredients sets it apart from other citrus-heavy colognes, making it a compelling alternative to Hugo Boss Orange or Dolce & Gabanna’s The One For Men.
Juicy quince and astringent rhubarb make up the one-two punch of L’homme’s initial fragrance, before quickly transitioning into peppery ginger and fragrant jasmine. Warm woods and sweet vanilla provide a sumptuous base, making for a scent with a long development that’s friendly with most men’s skin.
With good to great longevity and only a moderate intensity, L’homme is an excellent cologne for everyday wear, year round. It’s an enticing yet inoffensive scent that’s perfect for men who are looking for a first cologne, but has enough depth to appeal to long-time wearers as well.
Notes:
- Top notes of mandarin orange, sweet orange, rhubarb, and quince
- Middle Notes of ginger, almond, black pepper, and jasmine
- Base notes of vanilla, wood, cedar, amber, and musk
Best For:
- Year-round wear, excellent cologne for beginners
Are Lacoste Fragrances Worth It?
There’s a common trouble that shows up when choosing colognes and perfumes: A fragrance that might smell great as soon as you put it on could also quickly fade away into nothingness, meaning that you’ll need to reapply it constantly.
When we think of whether Lacoste fragrances are worth it, the duration of their scents is what comes to mind first. Even though they will be more expensive than generic colognes, Lacoste’s scents tend to stay on your body longer, meaning less reapplication — and less wasted cologne.
So in the end, the higher the quality of cologne you go for, the less you’ll have to reapply. And the less you have to reapply, the more value you’ll get out of a single bottle.
How Long Does Lacoste Cologne Last?
In the perfume industry, it’s common to speak of a fragrance’s longevity in determining just how long it lasts on a person’s skin. If you’re looking for a cologne that can really stay with you all day, it will need to have excellent longevity and a complex, evolving scent that works well with your skin.
Lucky for you, Lacoste is well known among popular perfumes for having exceptional longevity. Even their lightest, most delicate scents will hold up for most of a day, while some of their most famous colognes will last more than 24 hours!
For the greatest longevity of any Lacoste cologne, look towards their first formulation: Lacoste, created in 1984 but still entirely relevant for today’s man.
What’s The Best Lacoste Cologne?
Choosing the best cologne from any brand will always come down to your personal preference — as well as how experienced you are with wearing colognes. So in the spirit of helping you to explore which Lacoste cologne is best for you, let’s take a closer look at some of their families of fragrances.
Thankfully, many of Lacoste’s most popular and longest-running colognes are formulated with both beginners and experienced cologne wearers in mind. Take Essential, for instance: Its high citrus top notes are appealing to almost anyone, while the peppery rose at its heart is a bit more niche. Or Pour Homme: Deep and rich, yet without any of the musk and leather that can be offensive to inexperienced noses, it’s a fantastic scent for any man to wear at night.
Overall, there is no one best Lacoste cologne for every man. But by reading through our Lacoste cologne reviews and taking note of which scents you think would smell best, you can test and get to know which cologne smells best on you.
Other great cologne brands you should checkout include Versace colognes, Dolce & Gabbana colognes, and Prada 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.
