Fragrance comparison

Zelen vs Steel

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 173 ratings analysed

6 wins

Zelen

Boka

4.42114 votes

Rank #2,859 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

67%scent match

Closely related

Steel

Superdry

3.3859 votes

Rank #19,878 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zelen takes 6 of 7 categories.

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

Zelen6/7

Steel1/7

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

ZelenBoka

SteelSuperdry

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.42/ 5 · 114 votes

Have 87%Had 13%Want 0%

3.38/ 5 · 59 votes

Have 38%Had 31%Want 31%

Category winnerZelenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

73%Love

14%Like

7%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

88 votes

17%Love

45%Like

14%Ok

24%Dislike

0%Hate

29 votes

Category winnerZelenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevityZelen

SillageZelen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value75

Category winnerSteelBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody91%

aromatic83%

earthy74%

green65%

fresh spicy56%

citrus100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

herbal61%

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

LimeYuzuBergamot

Heart

Pink PepperBeeswaxCardamom

Base

Haitian VetiverVirginia CedarMysore Sandalwood

Top

BergamotLimeAldehydes

Heart

ArtemisiaLily-of-the-ValleyCardamomViolet Leaf

Base

oak mossVirginia CedarVetiverPatchouli

InformationalShared notesLime, Bergamot, Cardamom and Haitian Vetiver. 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

Summer96

Fall73

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer78

Fall67

Winter22

Day100

Night36

Category winnerZelenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex63

Women5

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,859

PerfumerBoris Zrnic

Launched—

Reviews51

Overall rank#19,878

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews13

Category winnerZelenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

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 →

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Mexx Ice Touch ManMexxRUNNER-UP vs

White NoiseRoadsWINNER

1 person compared this today

CreatorARgENTUMWINNER vs

Forget Me Not 勿忘我RECLASSIFIED RE调香室RUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

NabroAZYARUNNER-UP vs

Mila Schön (Original)Mila SchönWINNER

1 person compared this today

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Zelen or Steel?

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

Which lasts longer, Zelen or Steel?

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

Which projects more, Zelen or Steel?

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

Do Zelen and Steel smell similar?

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

Is Zelen or Steel 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 Zelen and Steel?

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. 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.