17 Best smelling shampoos for men in 2023

When it comes to hair hygiene, we all know the importance of shampoo to make you feel and look fresh. Without it, dirt, grease and sebum can build up on your scalp. This can not only lead to unwanted odors but may actually affect your hair growth. This unwanted buildup of dirt and sebum can prevent new hair follicles from growing, thereby resulting in thinning hair as well as hair loss.

We know shampoo is great at cleansing hair. It’s made with surfactants and cosurfactants that actively remove dirt particles and grease; however, it’s not a one shampoo fits all kind of world. The various shampoos have different ingredients and fragrances targeted at different needs and personal preferences.

When choosing a shampoo, the scent is important. It’s one of the main things that a person notices about someone else and can be used to form an initial idea of what another person is like. From a classic natural clean smell to cool peppermint and wild cedar, we have you covered with our lineup of 17 best smelling shampoos for men.

1. Blu Atlas Shampoo

Coming in at the top of the list is Blu Atlas Shampoo. If you’re after an all-natural clean scented shampoo this should be your number one choice. Made from natural ingredients, such as jojoba oil, aloe and coconut, your hair is set to smell extremely fresh making Blu Atlas the perfect versatile and every day shampoo.

Jojoba oil enriches the hair by providing an array of vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids, which work to keep the hair strong, thick and nourished. Aloe vera leaf provides moisture and traps it into the hair so that it can rescue even the driest strands making Blu Atlas great even when cleaning salt covered hair after you’ve had a long day at the beach.

Additionally, by choosing a natural coconut derived surfactant such as sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, Blu Atlas Shampoo is ticking all the boxes. Not only does sodium methyl cocoyl act as a natural surfactant, which cleans hair of dirt and sebum build up but it also acts as a foaming agent. Sodium methyl cocoyl taurate creates a light natural creamy foam for the best application while also replacing silicones in the formulation, which can actually build up in hair to be more negative than positive.

Blu Atlas Shampoo not only makes you feel and look amazing, you also smell amazing too.

2. Oribe Signature Shampoo

When it comes to the best smelling shampoos for men, we know that Oribe Signature Shampoo will be on that list. Working in collaboration with a renowned French fragrance house, Oribe’s signature scent was created with notes of white butterfly jasmine, sandalwood and calabrian bergamot. This shampoo, although pricey, is sure to leave your hair smelling like a warm day out in France.

Oribe keeps it natural with their carefully chosen ingredients. To defend the hair from daily stressors such as oxidative stress and aging, Oribe uses a watermelon, lychee and edelweiss flower complex. This works to keep the hair hydrated as well as protect it from any daily damage or drying your hair may encounter. This signature complex also works to prevent the natural decline of keratin in hair, which is what keeps it strong and healthy.

Ginger root extract is another important ingredient in this shampoo. We know all about how ginger is healthy in our diet but it’s also healthy for our hair. This particular ingredient actively keeps the hair soft while providing strength and elasticity to prevent breaking from everyday stressors.

More key ingredients of Oribe Signature Shampoo are hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and amber extract. All of these ingredients combine to create the best protection for your hair by providing antioxidants that condition and keep hair from breaking as well as preventing aging and UV damage.

3. Sachajuan Ocean Mist Volume Shampoo

Imagine that it’s an early summer morning, you’re on the beach watching the waves and the feeling of calm is just overwhelmingly relaxing. That’s how Sachajuan Ocean Mist Volume Shampoo smells. This refreshing yet calm smelling shampoo is targeted at maximizing volume in your hair and will make you feel as if you’ve just got your hair professionally cut, washed and dried.

Sachajuan Ocean Mist Volume Shampoo is specially formulated with natural salts, ocean silk and vegetable proteins that build volume by coating each strand of hair from root to tip. This formulation results in a thicker and denser hair feel that gives you that perfect day at the beach textured hair. Additional to this, expansion technology is used, which is great at removing the day’s dirt and grime buildup as well as removing any unwanted odors stuck in your hair.

Overall, this shampoo is great at creating volume for dull and lifeless hair but even more importantly, your hair will be smelling great throughout the day.

4. Le Labo Shampoo

If you want luxurious smelling hair, then Le Labo Shampoo is definitely for you. Inspired by the Mount Koya Buddhist temple in Japan, this shampoo smells exactly like hinoki cypress, a type of tree surrounding the temples in the forest. Profusely serene, this shampoo is sure to make your day as you lather it into your hair.

Le Labo Shampoo is completely vegan, cruelty free and paraben free. Made with a multitude of hair nourishing ingredients, this shampoo is sure to make your hair healthy and strong. One of these important ingredients is oat amino acids, which cover each individual strand of hair to help to repair and replenish as well as increase shine. Hyaluronic acid and wheat protein are also included in this formulation, which work to lock in moisture and improve hair elasticity, thereby decreasing the chance of breakage due to daily hair stressors.

Although pricey, Le Labo Shampoo is definitely one of the top smelling shampoos on this list. With the ability for this scent to transport you to a forest of hinoki cypress, we definitely think it’s worth the price, especially due to its all natural ingredients, which are sure to keep your hair healthy and strong.

5. Krieger + Söhne Man Series Shampoo

Krieger + Söhne Man Series Shampoo is specially formulated for men. With a fresh peppermint scent, it’s definitely appealing as a daily shampoo for the average busy man.

Targeted at common scalp and hair issues that men face, it’s definitely one for the list. Also, this shampoo is gentle enough for daily use. A main ingredient in this shampoo is tea tree oil, which is key to a healthy scalp, treating common problems such as dandruff and an irritated, itchy scalp.

Additional to the main ingredient are wheat amino acids , which work to strengthen, soften and smooth the hair. This works by decreasing the porosity of the strands, thereby reducing the amount of breakage in hair.

Not only does this shampoo smell fresh and calming, these specially chosen ingredients work to improve the condition of your hair and target the scalp to improve common scalp issues that many men face today.

6. Rocky Mountain Barber Company Daily Use Shampoo

Rocky Mountain Barber Company Daily Use Shampoo comes up high in our list of men’s best smelling shampoo because the active ingredients not only smell amazing but also work to restore and keep your hair and head healthy. Using only natural fragrances and ingredients, such as eucalyptus, peppermint oil and tea tree oil, this shampoo has quite the manly scent if that’s what you’re after. You’ll smell like you’ve just left a cool, authentic barber shop.

Made in small batches to ensure the quality is top notch, this shampoo is formulated to contribute to a very healthy scalp and head. The main ingredients work together to keep your hair soft, strong and shiny while also making sure your scalp is healthy.

Rocky Mountain Barber Company Daily Use Shampoo is not only packed with healthy hair ingredients for all hair and scalp types but also does not contain any ingredients that can actually be more detrimental than beneficial, such as parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate.

7. Aesop Shampoo

Aesop, a luxury personal care and fragrance company comes up next on the list. Being both cruelty free and filled with natural ingredients, we can see why it made it into the top 17 of our best smelling men’s shampoos. This shampoo has been created to not only keep the hair soft and healthy but a lot of thought went into making it smell absolutely heavenly.

This shampoo is decadently scented with bergamot rind, frankincense and cedar atlas in order to create an earthy, citrusy and woodsy scent perfect for any man.

An additional key ingredient in this shampoo is also panthenol, which works to retain moisture in the hair strands while also improving the texture and feel of damaged, fine hair. Frankincense, which also acts as a fragrance in this shampoo, works to keep dandruff at bay while keeping your hair shiny and stimulating hair growth by soothing the root of the hair strands.

This shampoo is a great addition to any shower rack and is sure to impress not only you but anyone who smells it.

8. Handsome Peppermint Scrub Shampoo

Handsome skincare and haircare have a mission to “make men feel a little more handsome one man at a time”, and this is obvious with Handsome Peppermint Scrub Shampoo.

Handsome Peppermint Scrub Shampoo is a purifying shampoo made to reduce buildup and flakiness on the hair and scalp, leaving the hair feeling energized, clean and refreshed. Ingredients such as peppermint and chamomile act as key ingredients for hair maintenance and as fragrances. Also, charcoal works to detoxify the hair, reducing flakiness and reducing build up of dirt and sebum on the hair and scalp.

The peppermint acts to stimulate blood flow to the scalp while improving hair regeneration and growth. It’s also a gentle cleanser that removes dirt and sebum while not stripping the hair of its natural oils. The chamomile in this shampoo supports the hair by enriching the strands to stay strong and healthy, preventing hair damage, loss and breakage. Handsome Peppermint Scrub Shampoo can even promote hair growth, resulting in strong, shiny and healthy hair.

This shampoo is packed with natural ingredients that smell refreshing and clean and is definitely a great addition to any man’s shampoo collection.

9. Triumph & Disaster Shampoo

Triumph & Disaster Shampoo is both relaxing and spicy with notes of peppermint, acacia concinna, desert date and Tasmanian pepper. Each natural fragrance also works to improve the condition and feel of the hair and scalp. Peppermint stimulates hair growth as well as blood flow to the scalp, while also protecting the hair from damage.

Similar to the effects of peppermint, acacia concinna is full of antioxidants that stimulate hair growth, whereas desert data improves the shine and elasticity of the hair making it bouncier with more volume. Additionally, Tasmanian pepper actively soothes the scalp and reduces irritation and flakiness caused by dandruff and dirt buildup.

This shampoo is also reinforced with hydrolyzed keratin, which works to strengthen the hair and protect it from sun damage, heat damage and harmful chemicals while also decreasing the appearance of frizz. Argan oil is also a key ingredient in this shampoo. It not only moisturizes hair but helps to heal split ends and damaged hair and protects against further breakage.

Triumph & Disaster Shampoo definitely triumphs when it comes to improving the condition and scent of your hair. Not only does it smell manly, it contains no sulfates or silicones that can build up in your hair resulting in hair loss and breakage. Additionally, the brand is 100% natural with high quality ingredients. It’s definitely one to try.

10. Aromatica Scalp Scaling Shampoo

Aromatica Scalp Scaling Shampoo comes next in our list of best smelling shampoos for men. This is because it not only smells great but the top rosemary scent is also the main ingredient. Rosemary not only protects the hair but stimulates new growth. As for the scent, the rosemary and cedarwood of this shampoo create a natural but earthy fragrance that’s not only relaxing but enticing to anyone who smells it.

The α-pinene and verbenone from rosemary and β-chamazulene from cedarwood help to cleanse the scalp of built up dirt and sebum while also increasing blood circulation to the scalp to promote new hair growth and repair.

Additionally, Aromatica Scalp Scaling Shampoo contains β-hydroxy acid (BHA), also called salicylic acid. BHA works to exfoliate dead skin cells and debris stuck on the scalp’s surface, clearing the pores and hair follicles of built up dirt. Ginger, basil, and oregano extracts work to exfoliate the hair acting as antidandruff, anti-bacterial and hair growth stimulating agents for a completely clean wash.

Probiotics, caffeine, biotin and amino acids are also in the shampoos formulation, which work to keep the hair strands strong, increasing elasticity while decreasing the risk of breakage due to daily stressors.

Overall, this shampoo definitely smells great and is even better for those worried about thinning or damaged hair. So if you have these concerns, this could be your next shampoo.

11. My.Organics Thickening Shampoo

This Italian brand follows its name ‘My.Organics’ to a T. With the observation that many cosmetic and hair products have chemicals that may actually be more harmful than good, the team at My.Organics decided to create a brand using only 100% natural and organic ingredients that not only improve the appearance of hair but also nourish and strengthen each individual strand.

This shampoo is targeted directly at men with thin, brittle and greasy hair, which is, unfortunately, something we may all struggle with one day. Luckily for us, My.Organics has come to the rescue. The fragrance of lemon, peppermint and orange oil not only act to make you smell like an Italian citrus orchard in Sicily but the orange and lemon also work to keep your hair at its healthiest.

Orange oil works to decrease dandruff, stop scalp irritation and keep the scalp clear of sebum and buildup. Additionally, orange oil works to nourish the strands of hair with vitamins and minerals that thicken the hair and keep it strong and supple, therefore protecting your hair from brittleness.

Lemon oil, although similar to orange oil, works to effectively unclog pores in the hair follicle as well as increase the shine and thickness of the hair strands. Additionally, peppermint oil increases the blood flow in your scalp, assisting in hair growth while making your scalp and hair feel fresh all day long.

12. Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo

Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo should definitely be your next purchase. This shampoo comes in 12th in our list of 17 best smelling men’s shampoos and there’s no wonder that it made this list. It’s heavily fragranced to smell ruggedly masculine with additional hints of peppermint and tea tree.

Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo is completely packed with hair-loving ingredients such as collagen, which keeps the hair strong and supported, as well as salicylic acid, which breaks down dirt and rids the hair of unwanted sebum buildup.

Jojoba oil and green tea nourish the hair, acting as antioxidants that mop up unwanted chemicals that age the hair, making it brittle. These ingredients deeply moisturize the hair, making it ultra soft and shiny, creating a finish that will have you excited to start your day.

Not only is Lumin Keratin Recovery Shampoo healthy for your hair, but it’s also extremely gentle on your scalp, with ingredients that help unpack sebum and dirt buildup while not acting too harshly. In fact, this shampoo actually soothes the scalp and surrounding area.

Overall, this shampoo is made for men with a manly scent that’s sure to bring attention. Try it with its accompanying conditioner and see your hair change to the best it’s ever been.

13. American Crew Daily Deep Moisturizing Shampoo

American Crew is a staple in many men’s bathrooms, and for very good reason. As one of the best men’s hair and grooming companies, they’re set on showing men that they too should care about their hair and self and that by doing so, they’ll be more confident. American Crew Daily Deep Moisturizing Shampoo is definitely a good one. Not only is it silicone free and vegan, it deeply moisturizes your hair to make it super soft yet extremely strong.

American Crew Daily Deep Moisturizing Shampoo keeps the hair soft, shiny and strong using carefully chosen ingredients such as vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 works by promoting hair growth while nourishing existing hair strands that are looking dull and lifeless or may have been previously damaged by day to day stressors.

American Crew Daily Deep Moisturizing Shampoo has a classic man fragrance, with fresh mint and citrus. It’s definitely a masculine but popular aroma. If you like the classic fresh-out-of-the-barber-shop scent and you haven’t yet tried this shampoo yet, it’s definitely the one to try next.

14. Sukin 3-In-1 Wash

Sukin 3-In-1 Wash is ultimately calming, not only to your hair and scalp but also, with fragrance notes of peppermint, citrus and cedar, to your senses. This shampoo creates the ultimate masculine smell. The biggest benefit of Sukin 3-In-1 Wash is that, as its name proclaims, it actually is a three-in-one product. You have all of your shower essentials in one bottle, so we know for sure that this shampoo is going to love both your hair and your skin.

Made exclusively in Australia, this product is natural and cruelty free. Containing aloe vera, which hydrates the hair and skin by locking in moisture, as well as jojoba oil, which deeply nourishes the hair to keep it shiny and strong, this shampoo really is outstanding. Additionally, baobab oil is used to stimulate hair growth, even when you think there’s no hope of regrowth, while sesame oil stops dandruff in its tracks and decreases irritation to stressed out hair.

This shampoo is so manly, we think it’s sure to attract some serious attention. Try it and find out for yourself.

15. Jack Henry Hair

If you’re after something with a more subtle smell so as not to overpower or mix with your cologne, then Jack Henry Hair is for you.

This shampoo uses all natural ingredients with lots of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B5, biotin and honey, which gently cleanse your hair to bring it back to life, making it stronger, softer, fuller and ready for you to show off. With a lightweight formulation, this shampoo really feels nice to apply and is perfect for those wanting a gentle cleanse.

Although Jack Henry Hair may smell subtle, it really does have a clean scent that’s super appealing to many people, especially those who don’t enjoy overpowering fragrances.

16. Ursa Major Go Easy Shampoo

If you want to be transported right into the middle of a dewy forest at daybreak, then Ursa Major Go easy Shampoo is for you. Scented with everything woodsy, like ginger, balsam and fir, this shampoo really does just smell warm.

Liquorice, macadamia and bergamot form a major part of the formulation, which work to decrease dandruff, strengthen hair as well as nourish the scalp and hair strands to create a luxurious look and feel to your hair.

Packed with these nourishing ingredients, which gently cleanse hair without stripping it of natural oils, no one could doubt why this shampoo made it onto our list.

17. Dove Men + Care Fortifying Shampoo + Conditioner

Dove hair care has always been popular and is likely a staple in a lot of guys’ bathrooms. Why is this? Well, Dove Men + Care Fortifying Shampoo + Conditioner, as its name states, works as a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner, which cuts down shower time. This product also smells super manly and fresh. With a menthol fragrance, this shampoo is cool as ice; it not only leaves a nice relaxing mint smell but also physically cools the hair and scalp.

Caffeine, something that makes your coffee work in the morning, is a main ingredient in this shampoo, just so happens to also be great for haircare. By actively stimulating hair growth, this shampoo has the potential to slow hair loss and thinning and actually stimulate new hair growth. I guess coffee really is amazing in multiple ways.

Additionally, Dove Men + Care Fortifying Shampoo + Conditioner not only fortifies and strengthens the hair but also keeps it soft and supple while protecting it from any further damage.

Honestly, sometimes basic is cool and at this price point, we can see why. If it works well and smells great then why should we spend more on a product that has the same effect. If you haven’t already, give Dove Men + Care Shampoo + Conditioner a go. You might just love it.