Fragrance comparison

Sun vs Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 6,470 ratings analysed

3 wins

Sun

Jil Sander

3.635,518 votes

Rank #1,210 AmberVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne

Chanel

4.07952 votes

Rank #1,852 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sun takes 3 of 7 categories.

Sun
Choose it for a amber and vanilla character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter, evening wear.

Sun3/7

Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne2/7

Ratings & consensus: Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
Community sentiment: Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Sun
Versatility: Sun
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Sun

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

SunJil Sander

Chanel No 5 Eau de CologneChanel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.63/ 5 · 5,518 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

4.07/ 5 · 952 votes

Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%

Category winnerChanel No 5 Eau de CologneRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

28%Love

43%Like

9%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

4,012 votes

50%Love

28%Like

2%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

952 votes

Category winnerChanel No 5 Eau de CologneMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value84

¤ Price value60

Category winnerSunBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

vanilla92%

powdery84%

sweet77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

powdery100%

woody92%

musky84%

white floral77%

earthy69%

iris61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both powdery and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Fruity NotesAfrican Orange FlowerPalisander RosewoodAmalfi LemonCassisBergamot

Heart

Ylang-YlangHeliotropeCarnationOrris RootLily-of-the-ValleyRose

Base

VanilleBenzoinAmberTonka BeanSandalwoodMuskStyraxTobacco Leaf

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesYlang-YlangAfrican Orange FlowerBergamotAmalfi Lemon

Heart2-4 hrs

IrisJasmineRoseOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-8+ hrs

CivettaMuskAmberSandalwoodoak mossVetiverPatchouliVanille

InformationalShared notesAfrican Orange Flower, Amalfi Lemon, Bergamot and Ylang-Ylang. Durations are only published for Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter78

Day–

Night–

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day81

Night100

Category winnerSunMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex28

Women71

Men5

Unisex39

Women55

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,210

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews658

Overall rank#1,852

PerfumerErnest Beaux

Launched—

Reviews125

Category winnerSunHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Sun by Jil Sander is a warm, golden oriental fragrance built around creamy orange blossom, powdery heliotrope, and rich benzoin vanilla. Launched in 1989, it skips typical tropical coconut or aquatic ocean notes in favor of a comforting, thick sun lotion warmth. The opening blends bright lemon and sweet fruit with sun…

Reviews →

Chanel 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 →

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, Sun or Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne?

Sun takes 3 of 7 categories. Sun is rated 3.63/5 from 5,518 votes; Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne is rated 4.07/5 from 952 votes. Choose Sun for a amber and vanilla character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Sun or Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne?

They last about the same: Sun 73/100, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne 73/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Sun or Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne?

Projection is very close: Sun 65/100, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne 65/100 for sillage.

Do Sun and Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery and woody accords. Common notes include African Orange Flower, Amalfi Lemon, Bergamot and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Sun or Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne better for summer or winter?

For summer, Sun is the stronger pick. For winter, Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne is the stronger pick. Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Sun and Chanel No 5 Eau de Cologne?

Sun has top notes of Fruity Notes, African Orange Flower, Palisander Rosewood and Amalfi Lemon, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Heliotrope, Carnation and Orris Root, a base of Vanille, Benzoin, Amber and Tonka Bean. 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.