Contrary to popular belief, colognes aren’t just for men, and perfumes aren’t just for women. The main difference between the two products is that perfumes have more potent scents.
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We know that not all of us can get to the store or find that perfect scent ourselves. That’s why we’ve put together some of our recommendations for the best cologne subscriptions that can be delivered right to your door.
Our Top Recommendations for Cologne Subscriptions
Here is our list of the best cologne subscriptions, including our choice of the best for categories like luxury, budget, beginners, and environmentalists, among others.
Best for Variety: Scent Trunk
Scent Trunk currently offers three subscription boxes to choose from. The “Original Edition,” the “Supernatural Future,” and the “Botanical Machinist.” Each month, a 5ml travel atomizer of your choosing will be delivered.
The Original Edition box is a manual subscription, so you’ll receive the same scent monthly unless you change your account settings. With the other two, you’ll automatically receive the new scents in the same order they were released.
Best for Luxury: Scent Bird
Scentbird features designer and niche fragrances from companies like BVLGARI, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Tocca, Balenciaga, and more.
To start the subscription, you take a short quiz that helps their designer team pick scents perfect for you and your lifestyle. If you are specifically looking for a cologne subscription with creed, this is the one for you.
Best for Budget: Perfume.com
With the cheapest cologne subscription box, Perfume.com is a great place to try new colognes on a budget. Immediately on their homepage, you’ll see two options for either men or women. They boast over 500 brands to sample from.
You’ll be able to pick out which scents you want to start with and then begin creating a queue, so future you doesn’t need to worry about subscription options!
Best for the “Bored of Normal:” Olfactif
With over 300 scents to choose from, you’ll never have to worry about smelling like the person next to you. You’ll receive three or six samples (depending on the box) curated with different scents each month.
You’ll be able to choose between “Women’s” or “Men’s.” The Women’s are more floral and vibrant, while the Men’s are more traditionally masculine and unisex. Each vial is 2 ml and contains around 20 sprays. With three samples, that’s 6 ml a month!
Why do we like this subscription so much? Because they offer colognes that are difficult to purchase unless you live near an independent perfume shop or boutique, which gives the masses (that’s us!) an opportunity to explore rare scents.
Best for Women: Scent Box
With over 850 designer fragrances like Versace and Prada, you won’t run out of new scents anytime soon.
We picked this luxury scent box for our girlfriends because they offer more than just perfume, which, as we know, we run into a lot when shopping for cologne for women.
Scent Box allows you to choose one or two fragrances per month by adding them to your “Fragrance Calendar.” This way, you can plan ahead. In addition to the subscription box, they also sell bath products, candles, skincare, CBD, and more!
Best for Men: Debonair Scent
Debonair specializes in a men’s cologne subscription and offers a quick, four-question quiz to get you started.
After that, their scent specialists scan your profile and pick out the samples best for your lifestyle from brands like Gucci, Paco Rabanne, and Diptyque.
You’ll receive three 3ml sample bottles and will have the option to prepay for three, six, or twelve months. If you like what’s inside, you can use the $15 shop offer that comes inside every box on a full-sized bottle of your favorite.
Best for Gender-Neutral and Non-Binary People: SensUniqueParis
Did you think I was going to exclude you? Of course not! This subscription is our absolute favorite subscription for cologne if you’re looking for a scent that will fit a more gender-neutral or unisex preference. You’ll receive smells that focus on each month’s current inspiration.
This company will pick the scents for you even though there is no quiz. Because every month is different, everyone will find something they’ll love.
Because this company is based in France, shipping may take longer than a US-based company. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore scents by Ed Idolo, Etat Libre D’Orange, and Eris Parfums.
Best for the Minimalist: Scent Magic
This box is the subscription for you if you’re looking for a no-brainer. There are three easy steps: Subscribe. Choose a scent from over 500 designer fragrances.
You receive an 8ml spritz bottle right to your door. They offer perfumes for women and colognes for men. You’ll access brands like Gucci, Versace, and Tom Ford.
Best for The Beginners: Fragrancenet.com
Purpl Lux is a monthly subscription from Fragrancenet.com that delivers one 8ml atomizer to you.
You can pay monthly or for the entire year (which gives you the best overall deal yet). If you have a friend just starting out, this is a great box for a cologne subscription gift.
We’ve highlighted this company because sometimes, you can only focus on one perfume. And that’s okay!
This box gives you the entire month to decide what you do and don’t like, and you don’t have to worry about the two or three other atomizers sitting on the shelf.
Best for the Environmentalist: Skylar Clean Beauty
This company is a little different than the rest. Instead of cologne, they specialize in neutral scents. Instead of atomizers, they send you a rollerball.
Best of all? Each month, they donate a portion of proceeds to an organization dedicated to making the world better.
At the time of this article, the organization is Oceana. You know you will spend your hard-earned money on something worthwhile.
What to Look For in a Cologne Subscription
You want a subscription with possibilities and options. Otherwise, what’s the point of trying out new products?
Cologne subscriptions are a great way to try new things before buying big, expensive name-brand bottles.
In addition to a subscription with many options, you should also look for an affordable one. If you wanted to spend hundreds of dollars to try new things, you would buy full-sized bottles, which is a cost-effective way to learn what you love.
Are Cologne Subscriptions Worth It?
We won’t lie to you – it depends on where you are in your fragrance journey. If you know what you love and don’t want to change, a subscription isn’t for you. If you know what you want but are willing to branch out, then sure. Maybe a few months’ trials.
And if you’re new to the cologne game and want to experience the different options from designer brands worldwide without hunting them down and going broke? Absolutely.
You may find you don’t need the subscription forever – unless you think change can be a good thing.
Conclusion
We hope these ten best cologne subscription options give you somewhere to start on your subscription hunt. You can’t go wrong with the fragrance club you choose as long as you keep what you like in mind – and if you’re not sure yet, the companies can walk you through it.
About the Author
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.