If choosing men’s fragrance gets your nose in a knot, you’re defs not on your own. Picking the perfect scent can be overwhelming, which is why we asked Junior Beauty Writer Mollie Hammond to give you her top tips on how to find a fragrance for your fella.

Scent styles

To make your life easier, it’s best to go into the shop knowing what kinda scent you’re after. Here’s a breakdown of the four main scents for men…

Fresh: This is all about those zesty citrus smells that give you a boost of life when you get a waft. Think mandarin and grapefruit and you’ll be on the right track. Fresh scents are great for active, energetic guys.

Earthy: For something with a bit more grit, earthy scents will be your go-to. They tend to include sandalwood and rosewood – think of that sophisticated kinda smell you get on guys who are tall, dark and handsome.

Musky: Scents that contain musk are usually deep, rich and sexy. If you’re after a date-night fragrance, this is the kind you want to be looking at.

Oriental: This is sure to contain lots of warm smells such as cinnamon, clove and vanilla… #SpiceUpYourLife

Not sure on notes

To the untrained hooter, fragrance notes will probably be a new and bizarre concept. But it’s a lot easier to understand than you think. Different notes (scents) will appear gradually as a fragrance lingers on your skin.

Top notes: These are the ones you smell when you spray the scent. These first impressions are important, but top notes evaporate quickly (usually after about five minutes), so let the fragrance linger a little before you make a decision.

Heart notes: These are the scents that come through after the top notes have evaporated, and they combine with the base notes to give the overall impression of the scent.

Base notes: These are usually heavier scents, like musk. They don’t develop until about an hour after the first spritz and last longest on the skin.

Eau de what?

All we mean when we talk about scent concentration is the strength of the fragrance. Put simply, a higher concentration of perfume oil will give you a stronger, longer-lasting scent. It’ll also mean a higher price point, though, so it’s worth weighing up your options…

Eau de toilette: This contains the lowest concentration of perfume oil, so it’s a subtle smell and not very long lasting. It is also the cheapest in the range.

Eau de parfum: If you can afford to splurge a bit more, eau de parfum has a higher concentration of perfume oil, which makes the scent a little bolder.

Parfum: This is the strongest kind of scent and also the most expensive.