The Best New Scents Worth Gifting For Father’s Day

by Vibhu Gairola

People often joke that Father's Day (this Sunday, June 18!) is the Mother's Day nobody cares about, but I've had a strong suspicion that that perception came about just because dads are harder to shop for. Each father is different, but for the most part, few of them are impressed by hand creams and face moisturizers, and buying dads towels, tools or useful housey things for Father's Day just seems disingenuous--a gift may be a gift, but plopping a ribbon or a power drill or a new safety razor is seldom as satisfying as the bang and bustle of a true luxury item.

Colognes are the one thing that's usually a fail-safe gift: well-crafted fragrances are undeniably attractive to men who see an improved version of themselves within the scent, and as long as you're smart about your choice, chances are you'll probably do just fine even if you don't hit it out the park from the get-go. Here are some new fragrances which would work extremely well if you're looking for great last-minute gift options:

Prev5 of 5Next

For the everyman

If your dad is someone you’re used to describing as a man’s man or one of the boys, then honestly, you should go with your gut. However, if your gut proves terrible at finding a good scent or brand, the YSL scent family is actually incredibly wearable for all sorts of gentlemen. Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme ($115) is a genuinely uplifting scent that I would recommend to anyone any day, except it’s been around for awhile. Lest it appear too familiar, take a chance on La Nuit De L’Homme L’Intense ($99), which unexpectedly pairs tonka beans and iris notes for a woodsy but not too earthy scent that transitions extremely well as it wears. A clean vanilla top note melts away just as it gets too sweet and a clever insertion of patchouli ensures that the mixture doesn’t get too dull, making this a scent bound to liven up even the humblest everyman.