men's cologne

How Many Colognes SHOULD a Man Have? [Answered]

A common question I get asked all the time is – how many colognes should a man have? In my opinion there are THREE factors that go into answering this question. Let’s take a look!


1. Financial situation

The first factor is perhaps the most obvious – can you afford to have several colognes? The last thing you want to do is blow the budget just to say you have a large cologne collection!

Fragrances can become quite expensive – even one bottle of niche fragrance cast cost you hundreds of dollars. In contrast, designer fragrances can be quite cheap and you can buy several for under $100 total – like Nautica Voyage and Versace scents.

Everyone’s situation is unique and I’d urge you to consider if your personal financial position allows you to maintain a cologne collection, as opposed to a few staple scents.

If having a few staple scents sounds good to you though, Dior or YSL have you covered!


2. Storage

The next point you should consider is whether you have the storage to hold several fragrances.

Storing one, two of three fragrances is easy. But once you start a collection with dozens of fragrances (like me) you’ll need some dedicated storage space!

In a cupboard, drawers or storage container would be best.

And as I mention in this article, you don’t have to worry about colognes ‘going off’ or expiring. As long as they’re kept in storage away from direct sunlight, they’ll last a very long time.


3. Scent variance

cedar cologne

Lastly, you should definitely consider how much variability you’d like in your scents.

Some guys like mostly fresh scents like Dunhill Icon, others love cold weather gems like Tom Ford Ombre Leather. However, if you’re like me, you’d like some versatility depending on what the situation calls for!

Therefore, I tend to collect colognes which cover the entire spectrum – from summer to winter days, casual to formal events.


Ultimately, the answer is up to you

So – how many colognes should a man have? Personally, I have dozens of colognes in my collection. My decision was made by considering the three factors below;

  • How much can I financially afford?
  • How many can I store and store properly? and
  • How much versatility and variability in scents do I want?

I hope the advice above has helped you on your own fragrance journey!


We want to hear from you! Do you have any thoughts on this topic? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments.

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