Which cologne should you wear?
9 quick questions about where you're going, the weather and the impression you want to make. Out comes the cologne that fits, and the clone that smells like it for much less.
How it works
Each of the 165 colognes here is tagged with its main notes, strongest first. Every answer counts for the notes that suit it and against the ones that don't, and the best fits come out on top, each with its closest clone. Skip anything you don't mind about.
Question 1 of 9
Who's wearing it?
Unisex scents that plenty of men wear, like Baccarat Rouge 540, count for both.
Pick one
Questions people ask
Short answers, with the colognes to match.
What cologne should I wear on a date?
Something warm that wears close: vanilla, amber, soft spice and musk draw people in without shouting. Good picks: Mancera Tonka Cola, Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Elixir and Tom Ford Vanilla Fatale.
What's a good cologne for work?
Fresh, clean and light: citrus, aromatic herbs and soft musk get noticed in a meeting without filling the room. Save oud, tobacco and sugary scents for the evening. Good picks: Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724, Sospiro Vibrato and Paco Rabanne Invictus.
What cologne should I wear to a club?
Sweet, loud and long-lasting: sweet, fruity and amber scents cut through a crowded room and are still there at the end of the night. Good picks: BDK Velvet Tonka, Stéphane Humbert Lucas Soleil De Jeddah Mango Kiss and Mancera Amore Caffe.
What cologne should I wear to a wedding?
Something refined: polished woods, soft powder and leather suit a dress code. Good picks: Le Labo Santal 33, Penhaligon's The Inimitable and Nishane Shem.
What's the best everyday cologne?
A fresh, woody scent that works at the office, on the weekend and everywhere between: easy to like and hard to overdo. Good picks: Dolce & Gabbana K EDT, Paco Rabanne Invictus and Paco Rabanne Invictus Platinum.
Should I wear a different cologne in summer and winter?
Ideally, yes. Heavy scents turn cloying in the heat and light ones fade in the cold, so reach for citrus, sea notes and green leaves in summer, and amber, vanilla, tobacco and spice in winter.
Do cologne clones really smell like the original?
The closest ones do: 68 clones here score 95 or more out of 100 against the cologne they copy. Every match the finder gives you comes with its closest clone, and you can ask for nearly identical ones only.