In the Indian market, it can be difficult for men to look for a good budget summer fragrance. While there are several options available across the internet and in stores, the true performance and composition of a good cologne is hard to identify for someone who’s not invested in perfumery a lot. To make things easier for you, I’ve compiled a list of the top 15 summer perfumes for men under 2,000 and 3,000 INR (Indian rupees).
The list includes a variety of summer fragrances that people have admired because of their complexity, compliment-getting factor, and longevity. I’m sure you’ll find your pick after going through this article once, as I have only included the very best for every price range. Although it’s mid-July, summer is far from over in India as the temperatures remain high during monsoon and until winter arrives (i.e., in November in northern regions). Get one of my suggestions as your signature scent or add more to your collection.
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What are Summer Fragrances?
In summer, you ought to be using colognes that have light and airy notes. Because high temperatures make perfume vaporize faster, it’s best not to use something very strong to avoid irritating yourself and the people around. Therefore, summer fragrances predominantly have fresh, aquatic, marine, fruity, citrus, etc., top notes with a subtle drydown. This may result in weaker performance and projection. However, some perfume options are long-lasting because of their high oil concentration (like Eau de Parfum and Extrait de Parfum) and heavy bottom notes (such as musky and woody).
For your convenience, I’ve discussed how to boost the longevity of these fragrances later in this guide. Furthermore, I should reiterate that these summer perfumes for Indian men can be used during monsoons and well before winter. Hence, it’s not too late to buy them, especially when they are at a lower price than usual. Just make sure to pick and use the right fragrance for the occasion. While some are good for the day, others are best suited at night. Some go well on dates, others are meant for office wear. I’ve outlined the application scenario for the recommended best summer fragrances below, highlighting some versatile options that will suit you regardless of the environment.
How did I make this list? I scoured the internet for the best middle-eastern summer fragrances and formulated this list after careful observations. This includes self-testing for some, Fragrantica listings, and Reddit reviews by perfume connoisseurs and users like us. I haven’t included anything under Rs. 1,000 as those perfumes are not-so-good because of their poor performance and synthetic smell. The following brands, on the other hand, offer great value for money by producing clones of some popular designer and niche perfumes.
Best Summer Perfumes for Men in India under 2,000
Below are the best summer fragrances (ranked price low to high) that an Indian man can purchase under 2,000 rupees. More details on how and where to buy these colognes are shared at the end of the article.
1. Rasasi It’s Essential
It’s Essential For Men by Rasasi is touted as a “hidden gem” by the Indian fragrance community because of being so unpopular despite being a superb blend. It’s a citrus-dominant cologne with floral and woody accords that makes for a great office perfume in my opinion. Claimed to be a clone of YSL L’Homme Ultime, this perfume can go for as low as 1,300 Rupees, which is a steal price for such a versatile scent. However, I must add that Rasasi It’s Essential lacks performance.
Note: You can check out the detailed notes (top, middle, and base) for each perfume on the Fragrantica website if interested.
2. Rasasi Fattan
Another summer fragrance from the house of Rasasi, called Fattan, that happens to be one of the cheapest Vetiver colognes in the market. If you want a fresh, barbershop, and mature gentleman vibe for your daily wear, this one’s a no-brainer. The woody base is complemented by moss and amber for some sweetness along with a citrusy top note. Rasasi Fattan comes at around 1,300 INR. The scent may feel synthetic or old-fashioned to some, so I don’t suggest blind buying it.
3. Afnan Rue Broca Theoreme (Author’s Pick)
If I had to pick one budget perfume for myself to rock during Delhi’s high-heat summer, I’d look no further than Afnan Theoreme Pour Homme. It’s a versatile fragrance that can be worn on all occasions, throughout the day, hence, a signature scent contender. One of the best dupes of Bvlgari Tygar, this one offers great longevity for a summer fragrance, especially on clothes. It does seem to have a synthetic, citrus-heavy opening, but as it dries down, it becomes a sweet, woody, and musky cologne. Having said that, try a decant first to make sure you like the scent profile (our tastes might differ). You can get it for as low as 1,500 INR.
4. Ahmed Al Maghribi Azure Royal
If you are on the lookout for a fruity and sweet perfume for the summers, Azure Royal by Ahmed Al Maghribi has got you covered. I think it’s perfect for date nights and evening occasions, especially to impress the ladies. It offers a more comforting vibe rather than making you come out as more masculine and mature, hence a great option for college students. It’s offered at a reasonable price tag of Rupees 1,700 by some community sellers (discussed later) and has decent performance thanks to the high oil concentration. This is on my wishlist too.
5. Ahmed Al Maghribi Kaaf
The next perfume on my list is also by the house of Ahmed Al Maghribi and has the best performance of all summer fragrances discussed under 2,000. I’m talking about Kaaf, a fresh, aquatic, and clean fragrance that on dry down projects musk and ambroxane. As mentioned earlier, it lasts very long, has great sillage, and is a compliment-getter as per reviews. It’s definitely worth the hype. You can add Ahmed Kaaf to your collection by spending around 1,800 INR.
Best Summer Perfumes for Men in India under 3,000
6. Ahmed Al Maghribi Aqua Oud
At around Rs. 2,300, you can get yourself Ahmed Aqua Oud, a complex scent profile with marine, woody, spicy, smoky, and musky elements. Let me tell you, this summer fragrance lasts long and has good projection in the initial hours. Why is it on our list? Well, because it’s inspired by the best-selling Aqua di Gio perfume lineup by the designer brand Giorgio Armani. If you want to test the DNA first, go to your nearest store (like Lifestyle, Shopper’s Stop, Sephora, & Nykaa) and take a whiff of Aqua di Gio Profumo and Profondo to get an idea. Ahmed Al Maghribi Aqua Oud is a versatile and mature scent that you can wear to your office and casual outings.
7. Afnan Zimaya Itqan Noir
YSL MYSLF EDP has been one of my favorite designer colognes recently, which I wear almost everywhere, be it the office, gym, or even casually. If you’ve tried the perfume out at stores and want to get a cheaper alternative, let me introduce you to Zimaya Itqan Noir. A safe blind buy as well, as it doesn’t have any complex notes, just a fresh citrusy opening with a patchouli and orange blossom dry down. It may cost anywhere around 2,400 INR. The only downside is the weak performance in the hot Indian weather.
8. Dumont Nitro Red
Dumont Nitro Red is a dupe of Paco Rabanne Invictus, similar to Rasasi Hawas, which has been one of the most hyped middle-eastern fragrances for the last few years. Nitro Red tends to lean a bit more on the fruity side with its watermelon note, while staying citrusy and out-of-shower fresh. It’s a safe blind buy that may cost you 2,500 INR. However, I’d suggest you get decants for the following three summer fragrances and compare them: Dumont Nitro Red, Rasasi Hawas, and Rasasi Hawas Ice. All three offer great longevity, are mass appealing, and have very subtle differences. Or you can simply go with my recommendation (Nitro Red) if you prefer a dominant fruity note.
9. Rasasi Hawas Black
Rasasi Hawas became so popular that its price skyrocketed. The brand picked up on the hype train and then started releasing several perfumes under the Hawas lineup. Rasasi Hawas Black is my favorite of the bunch, with an all-year-round usability due to its inspiration from the immensely popular Nishane Hacivat and Creed Aventus DNA. It can cost 2,700 INR and maybe even less as the Rasasi Hawas hype has subdued a bit. It gives a fruity citrus opening with a long-lasting woody drydown, ideal for a signature scent. Great budget option for college goers and office use as well.
10. French Avenue Moonstone Bleu
French Avenue has some great colognes, but for this list, I’ll be including only the Moonstone Bleu. This one’s a hidden gem with a fresh vibe, suitable for a mature audience. It’s a rich scent profile with metallic, honey, woody, spicy, and musky elements all combined harmoniously. Having said that, this complexity is what makes this summer fragrance not blind-buy safe in my opinion. You can get it for Rs. 2,800 or close to that price range.
11. Lattafa Atlas
Lattafa is also a well-known middle-eastern brand, and I have included its production Atlas because it’s a beast-mode summer fragrance. If you just care about superb longevity (I’m talking a whole day, 12+ hours) and projection, go for this cologne. Costing around 2,800 INR, this is a salty-oceanic vibe perfume with sandalwood. Because Lattafa Atlas has such strong performance, it may not be for everyone, and hence isn’t blind buy safe as per user suggestions.
12. Afnan 9 PM Rebel
Just like Rasasi Hawas, Afnan’s 9 PM also took the fragrance world by storm thanks to its mass-appealing DNA. 9 PM Rebel is an amazing product in this lineup that doesn’t disappoint and can be acquired for a reasonable price (Rs. 2,900 or less) as the hype has died down. It’s a fruity (pineapple dominant) and woody profile with vanilla and musk notes that appear after a few hours of application. Afnan 9 PM Rebel has great longevity and sillage that can be worn all year round (great for special occasions). A cheaper alternative is Lattafa Qaed Al Fursan, which comes at half the price, but it lacks performance and scent complexity.
13. Arabiyat Prestige Marwa
Arabiyat Prestige Marwa is a masterpiece and not much talked about in the Indian fragrance community. A clone of the popular, expensive LV Imagination, it does the job very well when it comes to delivering the appealing scent and performance. It’s a clean, green summer fragrance with citrus and spice notes. Although not readily available, you should purchase it if you find it on sale around Rs. 3,000 price point. Suitable for young and mature users alike for use in all types of situations.
14. Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man Pure Parfum (Author’s Pick)
This was one of my first middle-eastern fragrance purchases, and it continues to be one of my favorites. Remember, we talked about how popular and mass-appealing the Creed Aventus scent profile is? Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man, in my opinion, is the best take on that DNA under budget. The pineapple opening is to die for, and the overall fresh, woody, and musky notes never feel outdated. I’ve gotten several compliments out of this, and it lasts long as well. Now, there are several variations of the CDNIM perfume, but I want you to go for the Pure Parfum version (or Limited Edition if budget allows).
On Armaf’s website, Club de Nuit Intense Man Pure Parfum goes quite expensive, but you can get it from community sellers and on sale for as low as Rs. 3,200. I know, this is slightly beyond the budget, but I had to list this summer fragrance here for how good it is.
15. French Avenue Vulcan Feu
Finally, I’ll conclude my list with a recent release by French Avenue, which is a solid dupe of the popular and super expensive God of Fire cologne. Vulcan Feu is woody, spicy, and citrusy, but the dominant factor is its fruity, sweet note. The mango note is heavily present and you’ll love it, of course, if you like the fruit and don’t mind using sweet perfume. It may smell synthetic at first, but smoothens out over time. It usually goes beyond 3,000 and isn’t widely available, but you can keep an eye on sales to grab it for less.
Where to buy these Middle-Eastern Fragrances?
Now that my Indian men’s summer fragrance list is over, let’s take a look at the most important question: How to purchase these perfumes? Suppose you’ve picked your favorite from the list, just input the name on Google search, and you’ll see various websites selling that fragrance. These include sellers like Perfume Network India, Perfume Palace, Belvish, Frags Talk, AAR Fragrance, and others. Purchase from them for an effortless, hassle-free experience. Some other genuine websites that aren’t listed by Google, but I’ve found great deals on are Fragaholic.in and Whiffculture.com.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a discounted price on the perfumes (even lower than the cost I’ve mentioned), you can reach out to community sellers. Beware, this could be risky as I’ve read buyers complaining about delivery-related problems with some of the sellers. However, you’ll be fine if you deal with trusted community sellers. You can find more about them on Desi Fragrance Reddit (I’ve shared a related post below from the subreddit for reference). Some genuine sellers I’ve bought from are Vinay, Talib, Muzammil, Anirudh, and Anmol (their contact numbers can be found in the Reddit channel). Purchasing from community sellers is also my go-to method for buying decants and perfume samples for testing.
How to make Perfumes last longer in Summer
Before concluding my best summer fragrances guide, I’d like to share some techniques I myself use to make my perfumes last longer in high-heat and humid Delhi weather:
- The most important step is to macerate your perfume. When the fragrance arrives at your doorstep, get about 5-10 good sprays to test, and let it sit in a dark cupboard for at least one to two weeks (even a month if possible) without disturbing.
- If you’ve read reviews stating the fragrance has good performance, but yours doesn’t do so, it’s most likely because your bottle needs maceration.
- Spray on pulse points like the throat, behind the ears, the back of the neck, the wrists, and the arms.
- Make sure to moisturize the application area, especially the neck, so the perfume stays on and projects longer. Vaseline is also a solid, non-fragrant alternative to moisturizers.
- You can increase sillage by spraying on the shoulders.
- Perfume lasts on clothes much longer than on skin, so make sure to give a few sprays on the clothes.
- Don’t spray too close. Keep about 6 to 10 inches, depending on the atomizer, for wide application. This also prevents stains on clothes.
- Carry a small atomizer bottle to reapply your favorite cologne whenever needed. These are very cheap and you can get about four for Rs. 200 on Amazon.
- Use different colognes. Sometimes you stop smelling your perfume simply because of olfactory fatigue or nose blindness. Change the perfume or stop using it for a few days to recover.
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