Best Unisex and Gender-Neutral Perfumes

Fragrance marketing splits scents into “men’s” and “women’s” categories more out of habit than chemistry, and a growing share of popular releases now skip the label entirely. This guide covers five gender-neutral fragrances from about $30 to $150, built around notes like woods, musk, and citrus that don’t lean hard into either traditional category.

Unisex fragrances tend to cluster around a few note families: clean musks, woody bases like cedar and sandalwood, and citrus or aquatic top notes that read as fresh rather than sweet or heavy. Sweeter gourmand notes and heavy florals are less common in this category, though they do appear in some designer unisex lines.

Because these scents are designed to work broadly, they also tend to be more office- and layering-friendly than a bold, traditionally gendered fragrance, making them a practical everyday choice as much as a stylistic one.

1. Le Labo Santal 33 — best splurge-worthy signature scent

One of the most recognized unisex fragrances of the last decade, Santal 33 built its reputation on a distinctive leathery-woody profile that reads as neither traditionally masculine nor feminine. Street price runs $100-$150.

• Why it’s a good buy: instantly recognizable signature scent with a loyal following, long-lasting on skin through a full day
• Where to buy: Amazon, Target

2. Byredo Gypsy Water — best for a fresh, woody everyday scent

Byredo’s Gypsy Water pairs bergamot and pine with a soft vanilla base, landing in a fresh-but-warm territory that works equally well in an office or on a weekend. Street price runs $80-$130.

• Why it’s a good buy: versatile enough for both daytime and evening wear, well-balanced fresh-woody profile
• Where to buy: Amazon, Target

3. Maison Margiela REPLICA Jazz Club — best budget-friendly entry point

Part of Margiela’s REPLICA line, Jazz Club leans into rum, tobacco, and vanilla notes in a way that reads unisex despite its warmer profile, at a more accessible price than niche house fragrances. Street price runs $60-$85.

• Why it’s a good buy: warm, distinctive scent at a lower price than true niche brands, long-lasting formula
• Where to buy: Amazon, Target

4. CK One — best true budget unisex classic

The original mass-market unisex fragrance, CK One’s fresh citrus-musk profile has stayed relevant for decades and remains one of the cheapest genuinely unisex fragrances on shelves. Street price runs $30-$45.

• Why it’s a good buy: proven decades-long formula, lowest price point among well-known unisex fragrances
• Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart, Target

5. Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt — best fresh, minimalist scent

Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt built a reputation for a clean, almost weather-like scent profile that avoids both sweet and overly musky territory, making it a favorite unisex layering option. Street price runs $70-$100.

• Why it’s a good buy: light and fresh enough for daily wear without overpowering, layers well with Jo Malone’s other cologne scents
• Where to buy: Amazon, Target

How to get the best price

• Buy travel or sample sizes first from a niche fragrance house before committing to a full bottle, since unisex niche scents rarely go on sale.
• Track mass-market unisex classics like CK One around drugstore and department store sales, where they’re discounted more frequently than niche brands.
• Use a department store’s beauty rewards program or credit card for points on fragrance purchases, since perfume often earns bonus rewards categories.
• Watch for gift-set bundles around the holidays that pair a full bottle with a travel size at a lower combined price than buying separately.

Gender-neutral fragrances are worth trying regardless of what section of the store they’re shelved in, and the note families that define the category — clean musks, woods, and citrus — tend to be some of the most versatile and office-appropriate scents available at any price point.