Fragrance comparison

Steel vs Zelen

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 15 Nov 2026 173 ratings analysed

Steel

Superdry

3.3859 votes

Rank #19,878 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

67%scent match

Closely related

6 wins

Zelen

Boka

4.42114 votes

Rank #2,859 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zelen takes 6 of 7 categories.

Steel
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Zelen
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Steel1/7

Zelen6/7

Ratings & consensus: Zelen
Community sentiment: Zelen
Longevity: Zelen
Sillage & projection: Zelen
Value for money: Steel
Versatility: Zelen
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Zelen

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

SteelSuperdry

ZelenBoka

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.38/ 5 · 59 votes

Have 38%Had 31%Want 31%

4.42/ 5 · 114 votes

Have 87%Had 13%Want 0%

Category winnerZelenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

45%Like

14%Ok

24%Dislike

0%Hate

29 votes

73%Love

14%Like

7%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

88 votes

Category winnerZelenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate66

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate87

Category winners

LongevityZelen

SillageZelen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value54

Category winnerSteelBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

herbal61%

citrus100%

woody91%

aromatic83%

earthy74%

green65%

fresh spicy56%

Scent match67%Closely related · both citrus, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

BergamotLimeAldehydes

Heart

ArtemisiaLily-of-the-ValleyCardamomViolet Leaf

Base

oak mossVirginia CedarVetiverPatchouli

Top

LimeYuzuBergamot

Heart

Pink PepperBeeswaxCardamom

Base

Haitian VetiverVirginia CedarMysore Sandalwood

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lime, Cardamom and Virginia Cedar. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer78

Fall67

Winter22

Day100

Night36

Spring100

Summer96

Fall73

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Category winnerZelenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Men33

Unisex63

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#19,878

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews13

Overall rank#2,859

PerfumerBoris Zrnic

Launched—

Reviews51

Category winnerZelenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Steel by Superdry is a woody chypre fragrance built on a crisp, citrus-forward foundation. Launched in 2011, it brings together bergamot, lime, and sharp aldehydes for a bright initial snap. The scent settles into an aromatic heart of artemisia and violet leaf, grounded by a sturdy base of oak moss, vetiver, and cedar…

Reviews →

Zelen is a bright green vetiver built around bitter citrus, cool spice, and a creamy beeswax twist. Lime, yuzu, and bergamot give it a sparkling start, then cardamom, pink pepper, and woods pull it into a smoother, more textured dry-down. It suits readers who like polished citrus woods with a natural feel rather than …

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Steel or Zelen?

Zelen takes 6 of 7 categories. Steel is rated 3.38/5 from 59 votes; Zelen is rated 4.42/5 from 114 votes. Choose Steel for a citrus and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Zelen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Steel or Zelen?

Zelen lasts longest (Zelen 79/100, Steel 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Steel or Zelen?

Zelen projects furthest (Zelen 66/100, Steel 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Steel and Zelen smell similar?

Closely related: a 67% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lime, Cardamom and Virginia Cedar.

Is Steel or Zelen better for summer or winter?

For summer, Zelen is the stronger pick. For winter, Zelen is the stronger pick. Steel suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Steel and Zelen?

Steel has top notes of Bergamot, Lime and Aldehydes, heart notes of Artemisia, Lily-of-the-Valley, Cardamom and Violet Leaf, a base of oak moss, Virginia Cedar, Vetiver and Patchouli. Zelen has top notes of Lime, Yuzu and Bergamot, heart notes of Pink Pepper, Beeswax and Cardamom, a base of Haitian Vetiver, Virginia Cedar and Mysore Sandalwood.