Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne vs Forever
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
46%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne takes 3 of 6 categories.
Chanel No 5 Eau de CologneChoose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
ForeverChoose it for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne3/6
Forever2/6
- Ratings & consensus
- Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
- Sillage & projection
- Forever
- Value for money
- Forever
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Tie
- Fragranxe ranking
- Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Chanel No 5 Eau de CologneChanelForeverYardleyWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.07/ 5 · 952 votes
Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%
4.07/ 5 · 15 votes
Have 19%Had 38%Want 43%
Category winnerChanel No 5 Eau de CologneRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate50%Love
28%Like
2%Ok
20%Dislike
1%Hate
952 votes
20%Love
67%Like
13%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
15 votes · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityChanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
SillageForever
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerForeverBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothpowdery100%
woody92%
musky84%
white floral77%
earthy69%
iris61%
white floral100%
sweet88%
woody77%
citrus65%
yellow floral53%
powdery42%
Scent match46%Some overlap · both white floral, woody and powdery
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15-30 mins
AldehydesYlang-YlangAfrican Orange FlowerBergamotAmalfi Lemon
Heart2-4 hrs
IrisJasmineRoseOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley
Base6-8+ hrs
CivettaMuskAmberSandalwoodoak mossVetiverPatchouliVanille
Top15-30 mins
Ylang-YlangMarigoldRoseAmalfi Lemon
Heart2-4 hrs
African Orange FlowerWhite FlowersJasmine
Base6-8 hrs
SandalwoodMusk
Category winnerTieSame dry-down length
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring66
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day81
Night100
Spring100
Summer100
Fall60
Winter40
Day100
Night14
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#1,867
PerfumerErnest Beaux
Launched—
Reviews125
Overall rank#50,464
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerChanel No 5 Eau de CologneHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotChanel No 5 Eau de Cologne presents an airy, earthy take on the legendary floral aldehyde formula. The opening bursts with bubbly aldehydes, tart bergamot, and sunny Amalfi lemon before settling into a powdery core of iris, jasmine, and earthy orris root. Unlike the plush modern Eau de Parfum, this vintage cologne ver…
Reviews →Forever by Yardley opens with a sunny splash of Amalfi lemon, tangy herbal marigold, and sweet ylang-ylang that feels like walking through an English garden in mid-May. Within twenty minutes, the sharp citrus softens into a plush bouquet of jasmine and African orange flower, carrying the warm, clean feeling of luxury …
Reviews →InformationalRead bothTaste is personal
How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne or Forever?
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne takes 3 of 6 categories. Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne is rated 4.07/5 from 952 votes; Forever is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes. Choose Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Forever for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne or Forever?
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne lasts longest (Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne 73/100, Forever 60/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne or Forever?
Forever projects furthest (Forever 68/100, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne and Forever smell similar?
Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Ylang-Ylang, African Orange Flower, Amalfi Lemon and Jasmine.
Is Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne or Forever better for summer or winter?
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne suits evening wear; Forever suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne and Forever?
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne has top notes of Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, African Orange Flower and Bergamot, heart notes of Iris, Jasmine, Rose and Orris Root, a base of Civetta, Musk, Amber and Sandalwood. Forever has top notes of Ylang-Ylang, Marigold, Rose and Amalfi Lemon, heart notes of African Orange Flower, White Flowers and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood and Musk.
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