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Since times immemorial, teenage boys have been walking around in a heavily-fragranced cloud. It’s like a rite of passage, where they go from practically boycotting showers to taking an extreme interest in personal freshness, seemingly overnight. When I was in high school in the ’90s, the teen boy fragrance of choice was Drakkar Noir or CK One; if you’re slightly younger, it might’ve been Axe body spray. But no matter how old you are, chances are good that you’ve encountered an adolescent dude who has doused himself in some sort of cologne — well-meaning, if slightly overpowering.
You might be even more likely to encounter such a thing these days, since teenagers are snapping up scents like never before; a semiannual youth spending survey from Piper Sandler showed that in the beauty category, fragrances had the steepest growth in spending, with teen boys driving much of that growth. So if you’re tasked with buying a holiday gift for a teenager boy, you practically can’t go wrong with giving him something he can smell.
Still, we know that fragrance is a highly personal preference, and it’s hard to pin down someone’s favorite if you’re just trying to guess. We also know that teen boys are finicky, and their likes and dislikes tend to change on a whim. So what’s the best gift for the cologne-obsessed teenage boy on your list? A sampler set! That way you’re not blowing a wad of cash on a big bottle of something he might hate, and he can experience multiple fragrances, choose the ones he likes best … and then buy a full-sized bottle of it later. With his own money.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite cologne sets for teen boys. And because cologne prices range from “drugstore bargain” to “$600 per ounce, are you nuts?!” we’ve included several price points.
Sephora Favorites Cologne Sampler Set With Redeemable Voucher
A Sephora bestseller (which often sells out, so hurry before it’s gone!), this cologne sampler set contains 12 of the most-wanted designer scents — but best of all, it also contains a voucher he can redeem for a full-sized bottle of his favorite!
Brandon’s Choice 8-Piece Men’s Cologne Sampler
At just $28, this 8-vial sampler from Walmart is a great way to get him a variety of both designer and niche scents without busting your budget.
Armani Beauty Acqua di Giò Collection Mini Cologne Discovery Set
Iconic designer Giorgio Armani’s Acqua di Giò Collection draws its inspiration from the freshness of the Mediterranean Sea. In this set, you get a half-ounce bottle of each scent in the collection.
Scentbird — Monthly Cologne Subscription
A monthly subscription to Scentbird is ideal when you know a teen who loves cologne, but has no idea about his scent preferences. With this subscription, he can pick his own from more than 700 designer scents. Every month, an 8mL vial of his fragrance picks will arrive at his doorstep.
Kenneth Cole 3-Piece Mini Cologne Set
This sampler features three of Kenneth Cole’s most popular scents — all with fresh and citrusy notes.
Versace Men’s Miniature Collection
With four Versace scents — Eau Fraîche, Dylan Blue, Eros, and Eros Flame — for under $40, these minis are a great way to experience designer fragrances at a regular-person price.
Viking Revolution 4 Pack Mens Solid Colognes
… Yes. Solid cologne. Instead of spraying on their favorite scent, teens can rub it in. Honestly, it’s very deodorant-esque. Or you can think of it as the male equivalent of a roll-on perfume. This four-pack from Viking Revolution (How masculine sounding is that?!), has scents like sandalwood and sage and is a beloved bestseller on Amazon.
Goodfellow & Co. Men’s Cologne Discovery Set
This bundle features Goodfellow & Co.’s top four cologne scents, offering a diverse range of fragrances, from invigorating citrus and bright notes to soft florals and earthy wood tones. And you can’t beat the price, at just $15!
Azzaro Men’s 3-Pc. The Most Wanted Cologne Discovery Set
As its name suggests, Azzaro is one of the most wanted colognes right now — it’s super-popular, so he’ll love this set of three samplers: three woody, spicy, and aromatic scents.
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