Guide

Best fragrances for a night out

Loud and long-lasting, built for a crowded room. These are the highest-scoring fragrances for a night out in Scent Hub's when-to-wear model, which scores every fragrance from its notes, how far it projects and how long it lasts. It is ranked on composition, not on reviews or marketing.

For a night out, the model rewards gourmand, amber and sweet notes and marks down green, aquatic and citrus. Strong projection earns points here, because a crowded room swallows a quiet scent. Each score is out of 100, nighttime scores only, since a night out is a nighttime thing, averaged across all four seasons. Fragrances with fewer than 4 notes are left out, and no more than 2 come from any one house, so the list is a spread.

Top picks

The 15 highest-scoring fragrances at any price.

1. 1
   Tom Ford Tobacco VanilleLuxury · EDP · gourmand and leather · 72/100
2. 2
   Profumum Roma Ambra AureaNiche · Parfum · amber · 71/100
3. 3
   Montale Vanilla CakeNiche · EDP · gourmand · 71/100
4. 4
   Montale Chocolate GreedyNiche · EDP · gourmand and woody · 71/100
5. 5
   Lattafa NadiraBudget · EDP · sweet and gourmand · 71/100
6. 6
   Nishane Fan Your FlamesLuxury · Extrait · gourmand and woody · 70/100
7. 7
   Lattafa Choco OverdoseBudget · EDP · gourmand and amber · 70/100
8. 8
   Kilian Midnight EspressoLuxury · EDP · gourmand and amber · 70/100
9. 9
   BORNTOSTANDOUT Sugar AddictNiche · Extrait · gourmand and amber · 70/100
10. 10
    Mugler A*Men Pure HavaneDesigner · EDT · gourmand and amber · 69/100
11. 11
    Comme des Garçons AvignonNiche · EDT · amber and gourmand · 69/100
12. 12
    Kerosene FollowNiche · EDP · gourmand and amber · 69/100
13. 13
    Mancera Hazel LatteNiche · EDP · amber and woody · 69/100
14. 14
    Snif Naughty NonnaDesigner · EDP · gourmand · 69/100
15. 15
    4160 Tuesdays Over the Chocolate ShopNiche · EDP · gourmand · 69/100

Best on a budget

The 10 highest-scoring budget fragrances.

1. 1
   Lattafa NadiraBudget · EDP · sweet and gourmand · 71/100
2. 2
   Lattafa Choco OverdoseBudget · EDP · gourmand and amber · 70/100
3. 3
   Dossier Ambery VanillaBudget · EDP · gourmand and leather · 67/100
4. 4
   Afnan Portrait RevivalBudget · EDP · gourmand and woody · 67/100
5. 5
   Zara Cold CaramelBudget · EDP · gourmand and amber · 65/100
6. 6
   Al Haramain Amber Oud Gold Edition ExtremeBudget · Extrait · amber and sweet · 62/100
7. 7
   Swiss Arabian Shaghaf Oud AzraqBudget · EDP · woody and gourmand · 62/100
8. 8
   French Avenue Azzure AoudBudget · EDP · amber and woody · 61/100
9. 9
   Swiss Arabian Shaghaf OudBudget · EDP · gourmand and amber · 61/100
10. 10
    Afnan Historic SaharaBudget · EDP · gourmand and fresh spicy · 60/100

Worth the splurge

The 8 highest-scoring niche and luxury fragrances.

1. 1
   Tom Ford Tobacco VanilleLuxury · EDP · gourmand and leather · 72/100
2. 2
   Profumum Roma Ambra AureaNiche · Parfum · amber · 71/100
3. 3
   Montale Vanilla CakeNiche · EDP · gourmand · 71/100
4. 4
   Montale Chocolate GreedyNiche · EDP · gourmand and woody · 71/100
5. 5
   Nishane Fan Your FlamesLuxury · Extrait · gourmand and woody · 70/100
6. 6
   Kilian Midnight EspressoLuxury · EDP · gourmand and amber · 70/100
7. 7
   BORNTOSTANDOUT Sugar AddictNiche · Extrait · gourmand and amber · 70/100
8. 8
   Comme des Garçons AvignonNiche · EDT · amber and gourmand · 69/100

Want it cheaper?

Every fragrance page lists what costs less and smells close to it, with anything sold as a dupe marked. Search for a fragrance to see its cheaper alternatives.

More guides

• Best fragrances for springFresh florals and green, light enough for warming days.
• Best fragrances for summerCitrus and aquatic scents that stay bright in the heat.
• Best fragrances for fallWarm spice, wood and amber for cooler days.
• Best fragrances for winterHeavy, cosy scents that hold up in the cold.
• Best fragrances for schoolClean and quiet, because the air is shared all day.
• Best fragrances for workPolished and easy on the people sat near you.
• Best fragrances for the gymLight and fresh, nothing that fights with sweat.
• Best everyday fragrancesEasy to wear nearly anywhere, in any season.
• Best fragrances for a dateWarm, close and a little bit memorable.
• Best fragrances for formal eventsRefined and confident, from weddings to interviews.