Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways- Cologne size: The size of the cologne bottle affects the price, longevity, and usage of the fragrance. Smaller bottles are cheaper, but larger bottles are more cost-effective.
- Cologne usage: The number of sprays per day determines how long a cologne bottle lasts. Based on two sprays per day, 1.7 oz of cologne lasts 147 days, and 3.4 oz of cologne lasts 304 days.
- Cologne storage: Cologne should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place to prevent it from expiring or losing its scent. Most colognes last 3-4 years, but some can last up to 10 years.
- Cologne selection: Cologne should be chosen based on your personality, preferences, and goals. You should test it on your skin before buying it and see how it changes over time.
When buying fragrances, it can be a bit difficult for casual users to figure out what size to get.
You don’t want to overcommit to a new cologne, but you can make great savings by buying larger bottles of your day-to-day fragrances.
How long does 1.7 oz of cologne last?
Based on two sprays per day, 1.7oz of cologne lasts 147 days.
How long does 3.4 oz of cologne last?
3.4oz of cologne lasts 304 days if sprayed twice a day.
Your mileage will vary depending on the atomizer on your cologne bottle. For instance, Creed sprays like a firehose, so you might get 8 sprays per ml. Bond No. 9 colognes have lighter distribution, so you might get 13-14 sprays.
As a standard estimate, we’ll assume 10 sprays for every ml.
How to Decide What Size Cologne to Buy
How Long Does 0.05 fl oz of Cologne Last?
First, we’re gonna look at the little tiny tiny vial samples you’ve probably seen in stores as testers. These are pretty much only good for trying out a fragrance maybe for a couple of days depending on how you spray. A solid option if you take a trip for a week and want to bring a couple of fragrances along in your carry-on.
My first time trying Creed Aventus was with a 1ml vial. I’d heard it was a great fragrance so I bought a sample online and wore it to a wedding.
The beautiful scent lived up to the hype, so I went ahead and ordered a full bottle 1.7 oz bottle after that. I would never have dived in and paid so much for a cologne without the experience of trying it for myself beforehand.
The smaller fragrance bottles tend to range in size from brand to brand. Somewhere between 1 oz and 1.7 oz is typical.
| Total Sprays (approx) | 15 |
| 2 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 7 |
| 4 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 3.5 |
How Long Does 1.0 fl oz of Cologne Last?
The practicality in buying these is that they are great if you want to try out a fragrance and give it a proper, thorough test. You use it for about a month and see how it suits you.
If you want to buy a bigger bottle later on you can, or if it turns out it just wasn’t your thing then you just skip it.
Another practicality is if you know you like a fragrance, but you know you won’t need that much of it.
For me, I think of one of my favorite winter colognes, Victor and Rolf’s Spicebomb Extreme. I love it for crisp cold days, maybe when there’s a bit of frost on the ground.
I don’t need a big bottle because I use it so rarely, but I like the scent so it’s worth having at least a small bottle of it around.
| Total Sprays (approx) | 295 |
| 2 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 147 |
| 4 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 73 |
How Long Does 1.7oz of Cologne Last?
This is the size I encourage most people to buy, and it’s the most common type.
These medium-sized bottles are just great in terms of helping you build out your signature scent in an affordable way.
Let’s say you’ve already got something that you love but you want to expand a little bit. You don’t have to get a huge bottle for that
It’s my favorite size for trying out a new fragrance because I can monitor my usage quite effectively. It’s more efficient, and know you’ll use it up with plenty of time before the fragrance has a chance to degrade.
Keep your cologne at its full potential, without having any leftovers sitting there on the counter collecting dust.
If you’re unsure about a cologne, I recommend getting a 1.7 oz medium bottle. If you fall in love with the fragrance, you could always just kill that bottle and then grab a bigger one that you know for sure you’re going to use.
| Total Sprays (approx) | 502 |
| 2 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 251 |
| 4 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 125 |
How Long Does 3.4 oz of Cologne Last?
Now onto the largest common size for colognes.
3.4 oz bottles should be reserved for your signature scents. You’re going to get your best dollar to juice ratio here, so deploy it for purchases you know you will use on a day-to-day basis.
If it’s your signature scent, buying a large bottle makes the most sense.
Save yourself the hassle, money, and time – and then just buy smaller bottles for everything else.
P.S. There’s nothing worse than an expensive cologne expiring and being wasted.
If you’re not going to use it, I’d rather save my 50- 60 bucks for another fragrance – or just anything in my day-to-day life!
| Total Sprays (approx) | 1005 |
| 2 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 502 |
| 4 Sprays a Day Lifetime | 251 |
Is it Cheaper to Buy Larger Bottles of Cologne?
You might be unsure whether you’ll use a fragrance enough to justify a big bottle. However, if you just buy many small bottles, you will end up losing money in the long run.
Check out our chart below to see how two example fragrances, Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille and Aventus by Creed, become cheaper per fl oz when you buy in bulk.
The sample size prices were sourced from Microperfumes.com. They’ve got an excellent selection of vial-sized colognes and are one of the best places to buy cologne online
See how buying the largest bottle is less than a third of the cost of the smallest in both cases.
If you manage to find a great deal on your signature scent, I recommend getting the 3.4 ounces to make sure you’re getting the best value for your money.
Cost per Fl Oz Breakdown
Aventus Creed
| Cologne Size | Cost Per Fluid Ounce |
|---|---|
| 0.02 fl oz Decant (Microperfumes) | $369.5 |
| 0.1 fl oz Decant (Microperfumes) | $196.7 |
| 1.7 fl oz Bottle (Nordstrom) | $197 |
| 3.4 fl oz Bottle (Nordstrom) | $134.84 |
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille
| Cologne Size | Cost Per Fluid Ounce |
|---|---|
| 0.02 fl oz Decant (Microperfumes) | $524 |
| 0.1 fl oz Decant (Microperfumes) | $283 |
| 1.7 fl oz Bottle (Nordstrom) | $246.46 |
| 3.4 fl oz Bottle (Nordstrom) | $130.56 |
Tips – Buy The Right Cologne at the Right Size
Don’t “Blind Buy” Anything Bigger Than 1 fl oz
Although there’s great value to be had in buying larger bottles, I don’t recommend spending serious money on anything that you haven’t already smelt.
Large bottle purchases should just be for your signature fragrances, the crown jewels in your collection. For newer fragrances, you may buy a medium and then upgrade to a large bottle later on.
Most retailers are fairly good with offering free returns these days, but some companies will get very fussy. I’ve had companies decline a refund because I’ve “damaged the packaging” and the product “cannot be resold” – before I’ve even sprayed one drop of my cologne.
If you’re looking for retailers that will happily exchange your product for ANY reason, check out our guide to the best places to buy cologne online.
How to Make Cologne Last – Don’t Spray on Too Many Places
The best places to spray cologne for projection are your pulse points – that’s your wrists and neck. These areas emit the most heat, which will help evaporate the alcohol in the cologne and carry the fragrance further through the air.
What’s the difference between a US fluid ounce and a UK fluid ounce?
US fluid ounces are the standard measurement for colognes. They’re a little bigger than imperial UK fluid ounces, by around 4%.
| 1 UK fl oz | 0.96 US fl oz |
| 1 US fl oz | 1.04 Uk fl oz |
Check out the links below for more of what you need to know about how to buy cologne the RIGHT way.
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