Joop Cologne Guide: An Urban Affinity for Men

• About
• Latest Posts

Caroline Lambert

Are you looking for someone that’s going to be open and honest with you about the scents that are and aren’t going to work for you? Caroline isn’t here to play games when it comes to the world of perfumes. She loves breaking down every note of perfume and explaining how a perfume will work with your personal preferences. Plus, she loves learning about new scents, so she’s always on the hunt to find the best and latest perfumes on the market.

Latest posts by Caroline Lambert (see all)

• Good Chemistry Perfumes Guide for Clean Living - December 2, 2023
• Burberry Her Perfume Guide: European Flair for Urbane Women - December 2, 2023
• Best Tommy Bahama Perfumes Guide - December 2, 2023

A Joop Cologne Guide will navigate your way through the eclectic designs of a German fashion designer with a passion for creating urban lifestyles in luxury branding. You’ll learn about the elements of each cologne before you’ll have the secrets of choosing your favorite one.

Joop Homme is the original cologne, and it happens to be my partner’s favorite member of the gang. It has solid urban feels while it maintains a sophisticated element and opulent essence. I won’t lie, my partner has a nose for colognes, and I love how he experiments with them.

We live in an urban setting, and having his favorite Joop cologne makes him fit right into the environment, no matter where we go. The Joop colognes also complement each other well, meaning you’ll be meeting the gang that works for a massive range of men.

Germans have a thing for creating versatile cologne brands, but that means you’re sure to find one that fits into your lifestyle. Let’s help you find your best fragrance friend.

The Story of Joop

Wolfgang Joop sounds like a fictional character, but he’s the mastermind behind brands like Wunderkind and Joop, both focused on luxury and designer clothing and accessories that express the urban side of us. Urbane living is the new way society thrives, and I like to think I’m suave.

Wolfgang competed in a German fashion magazine competition with his wife in 1970, winning first prize three times and landing a job as a fashion editor. However, he continued to freelance his designer ambitions until his first fur launch blew the fashion industry away in 1978.

Wolfgang made such an impression that he was an honorary professor and guest lecturer at the University of the Arts in Berlin. He also launched his first pret-a-porter ladies’ fashion line in 1982, gaining more success and admiration from industry titans.

Wolfgang established the Joop brand with the famous exclamation mark in Hamburg, Germany, in 1986, and his first cologne was Joop Homme and Joop Femme for women. Both launches were a massive success as anything Wolfgang did was explosive.

Sadly, Wolfgang sold his final shares in the company in 2001, and the brand nearly fell off the map until Coty Inc. in New York took over the fragrance license. Today, Joop is a German-born but American-made global success story.

Why Would You Bother?

Consider what attracts you to anything or anyone in life. It’s often their character, and Joop colognes have more character than most. Wolfgang poured his soul and imagination into the scents intended to express how a modern urbanite smells. Some are feminine, and others beastly.

Character plays a huge role in whether you like something or not, and you’ll soon choose a cologne based on that valuable fact. However, Joop also has some outstanding achievements:

• Joop Homme made the cut for the 2016 Grooming Awards: Best Colognes
• The bombastic Joop Homme also made the list for Olfactory Hall of Fame Legends by the Ape to Gentlemen fragrance fan club
• Actor Justice Joslin is an avid admirer of the Joop cologne brand

I love that regular people endorse the brand. Real customer feedback inspires the Ape to Gentlemen’s club. Men vote for their favorite grooming brands, so know that you have genuine admirers. Joop is a hall of fame legend, and that makes the brand worth every whiff.

Joop Cologne Guide: Meet the Gang

Choosing a cologne is like picking a friend who keeps you company, and more importantly, enhances your social life. That’s why I say Joop colognes are the gang. They’re the sensual pleasures that make your social life even better. Each one has an attitude to match yours.

You’ll also know what they smell like, the notes, how they evolve, and which colognes smell similar. The matching colognes I recommend are as close as you come to each Joop, meaning you can also use them if you can’t find your signature fragrance.

The intensity of each cologne will tell you how strong the wake is and how long it lasts. Considering how eccentric Wolfgang’s sensual mind was, you’ll also have a recommended age range for each cologne.

Joop Homme

Joop Homme is the 1989 original men’s cologne, and it’s as colorfully eclectic as the man who created it. It’s an almost cheeky scent, and the smell is something from a dream. It starts with solid sweet notes that blend into aromatic and woody undertones before the floral finale.

Key Features

• Accords: Vanilla, white floral, warm spicy, cinnamon, powdery, citrus, sweet, woody, aromatic, and floral
• Descending Notes: Amalfi lemon, mandarin orange, orange blossom, bergamot, heliotrope, jasmine, cinnamon, lily of the valley, cardamom, Tonka bean, vanilla, honey, sandalwood, vetiver, tobacco, and patchouli
• The Attitude: Slightly feminine, exciting, eclectic, adventurous, and unpredictable
• Intensity: It’s strong and eternal
• Age Range: Gen Z to Millennials
• Similar Cologne: Original Santal by Creed

Cons

• It has a modern twist of feminine qualities that make traditional men uncomfortable

Joop Homme Extreme

Joop Homme Extreme is a 2014 addition that brings the brand back to beastly man-types and loud lifestyles. The scent unfolds in a velvety manner, evolving strong leather, woody, and cacao accords to create an earthy and beast-like finale. It’s a wild journey for your nose.

Key Features

• Accords: Warm spicy, leather, cacao, woody, patchouli, animalistic, smoky, earthy, and balsamic
• Descending Notes: Cacao, leather, and patchouli
• The Attitude: Wild, eccentric, masculine, daring, and ambitiously seductive
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and long-lasting
• Age Range: Gen Z to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: L’Homme Parfum Intense by Yves Saint Laurent

Cons

• Sadly, this cologne isn’t easy to find anymore

Joop Homme Wild

Joop Homme Wild is a 2012 cologne that encourages you to invite the wilderness into your sensual journey. The rum note rises sharply through the bottom notes to create a vibrant and adventurous beginning before the woody notes and warm sweetness becomes notable.

Key Features

• Accords: Rum, woody, soft spicy, white floral, musky, sweet, and warm spicy
• Descending Notes: Pink pepper, rum, white tobacco, and woodsy notes
• The Attitude: Vibrant, explosive, unpredictable, sexy, and animalistic
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and long-lasting
• Age Range: Gen Z to Millennials
• Similar Cologne: The Brilliant Game by Davidoff

Cons

• If rum makes you think of Captain Jack Sparrow, you’re not wrong (this cologne is as unpredictable as a pirate)

Joop Homme Electric Heat

Joop Homme Electric Heat is a raunchy smell for vibrant men who desire some excitement and admiration at the same time. The scent has a natural evolution passing through the leather notes and into a fresher floral heart before it becomes beastly and ends in a potent manly accent.

Key Features

• Accords: Leather, citrus, floral, warm spicy, animalistic, woody, fresh, tobacco, and smoky
• Descending Notes: Citruses, saffron, floral notes, woodsy notes, and leather
• The Attitude: Admirable, sexy, vibrant, modern-masculine, and intense
• Intensity: It’s strong and long-lasting
• Age Range: Gen Z to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: The Scent Absolute by Hugo Boss

Cons

• The balance between admirable and raunchy isn’t linear, and only confident men should wear it

Joop Homme Ice

Joop Homme Ice is a modern-urban cologne from 2020, and it can knock your socks off! Think about a friend who can cool even the tensest social setting. This cologne is that friend. It smells like a modern blend of fruity, sweet, and spicy notes keeping warm undertones cool and fresh.

Key Features

• Accords: Citrus, aromatic, fruity, sweet, warm spicy, woody, white floral, fresh spicy, tobacco, and powdery
• Descending Notes: Plum, bergamot, grapefruit, clary sage, cardamom, orange blossom, tobacco, and sandalwood
• The Attitude: Vibrantly mature, tenacious, naughty, fun, and surprisingly extravagant
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and lasts long enough
• Age Range: Millennials to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Spicebomb Night Vision by Viktor & Rolf

Cons

• The masculinity of this cologne is questionable as the cool sweetness almost hides the tobacco and woody undertones

Joop Homme Summer Ticket

Joop Homme Summer Ticket is a 2012 ticket to fun land in your social life. The untamed vanilla note rises first, and you’ll have soft florals drying through citrus and warmer fruity notes before you reach a spicy, cheeky, and aromatic ending. This cologne excites the senses.

Key Features

• Accords: Vanilla, white floral, citrus, powdery, amber, sweet, fruity, aromatic, fresh spicy, and floral
• Descending Notes: Red apple, bergamot, grapefruit, orange blossom, jasmine, heliotrope, Tonka bean, vetiver, vanilla, and amber
• The Attitude: Slightly feminine, fun, modern-masculine, satirical, and enticing
• Intensity: It’s moderate and lasts long enough
• Age Range: Gen Z to Millennials
• Similar Cologne: CK One Shock for Men by Calvin Klein

Cons

• The feminine qualities in the notes are more notable in this cologne again (which is fine if you’re a modern urban man)

Joop Splash Summer Ticket

Joop Splash Summer Ticket is a refreshing ode to men. It smells like a gentle breeze near the shore as you watch giant wooden boats sail by you. The aromatic notes are refreshingly blended into the marine and aquatic undertones, while the woody accents provide a soft touch finale.

Key Features

• Accords: Aromatic, marine, citrus, woody, ozonic, aquatic, amber, salty, and soft spicy
• Descending Notes: Coriander, lemon, seawater, violet leaf, labdanum, and cedarwood
• The Attitude: Gentle, compassionate, refreshing, romantic, and alluring
• Intensity: It’s moderate and lasts long enough
• Age Range: Millennials to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Costa Azzurra by Tom Ford

Cons

• It was a limited edition, meaning you won’t find it forever and can’t use it as a signature scent

Joop Splash

Joop Splash is a 2011 friend of the brand, and it’s another refreshing cologne for men who want that sea breeze and woody undertones to tickle their social life. It has a stronger woody accent, but it comes with a modern twist from an exceptional fruit that sweetens the deal.

Key Features

• Accords: Aromatic, marine, woody, fruity, amber, warm spicy, soft spicy, salty, white floral, and powdery
• Descending Notes: Cassowary fruit, coriander, cardamom, seawater, labdanum, cedarwood, and sandalwood
• The Attitude: Romantic, confident, contemporary, somewhat cheeky, and sexy
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and long-lasting
• Age Range: Gen Z to Millennials
• Similar Cologne: Pour Homme by Versace

Cons

• It’s another cologne you might not find soon because it’s discontinued

Joop Jump

Joop Jump is a popular 2005 Aromatic Fougere cologne, and it’s more masculine than most of the brand’s colognes. It has a modern-manly feel and smells like pleasant spiciness that dries down to warm amber and vanilla before using almond accents to smoothen the woody finale.

Key Features

• Accords: Aromatic, powdery, citrus, vanilla, amber, fresh spicy, almond, sweet, musky, and woody
• Descending Notes: Grapefruit, caraway, rosemary, coriander, heliotrope, Tonka bean, vetiver, and musk
• The Attitude: Modern-masculine, smooth, charismatic, alluring, and friendly
• Intensity: It’s moderate and long-lasting
• Age Range: Gen Z to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Seductive Noir by Guess

Cons

• The name suggests the cologne is an active or sporty one, but it’s not

Joop Go

Joop Go is an unusual 2006 cologne, which is another beautifully modern-masculine scent from the brand. It smells like a journey through aromatic and forested scenery before you reach a warm heart, where subtle fruitiness adds contemporary flair before you get a powdery end.

Key Features

• Accords: Aromatic, woody, fresh spicy, citrus, green, fresh, warm spicy, fruity, violet, and powdery
• Descending Notes: Pimento, bitter orange, rhubarb, bourbon geranium, cypress, violet, balsam fir, and musk
• The Attitude: Unique, modern-masculine, mysterious, natural, and untamed
• Intensity: It’s moderate and lasts long enough
• Age Range: Millennial to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Hot Water by Davidoff

Cons

• The forested accent in this cologne is ultimately the opposite of the urban effect (unless they were going for an urban jungle vibe)

Joop Wow

Joop Wow is probably the most traditionally masculine cologne from the brand. It has a robust elegance, and it smells like a subtly sweet walk through a spice market before you enter the welcoming woody and amber accents. The cologne ends with a passionately balsamic feel.

Key Features

• Accords: Aromatic, fresh spicy, vanilla, woody, warm spicy, amber, ozonic, sweet, conifer, and balsamic
• Descending Notes: Bergamot, violet leaf, cardamom, geranium, vetiver, balsam fir, Tonka bean, vanilla, and cashmere wood
• The Attitude: Passionate, sophisticated, mature, seductive, and traditional
• Intensity: It’s moderate and lasts long enough
• Age Range: Millennials to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Fahrenheit by Christian Dior

Cons

• It’s intensely classical and wouldn’t smell good on Gen Z men

Joop Nightflight

Joop Nightflight is a friend you’ll love having around for nighttime socializing. The smell takes your nose on a flight through sweet aromatics teasing fruity and citrusy accents before you drop into a gentler floral undertone masked by woody notes and fresh feelings.

Key Features

• Accords: Aromatic, sweet, citrus, fruity, fresh spicy, lavender, woody, white floral, fresh, and green
• Descending Notes: Lime, juniper, bergamot, lemon, lavender, pineapple, green notes, galium odoratum, geranium, rose, lily of the valley, jasmine, Brazilian rosewood, sandalwood, amber, musk, Tonka bean, and almond
• The Attitude: Layered, complicated, extroverted, bold, and intense
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and long-lasting
• Age Range: Millennials to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Egoiste Platinum by Chanel

Cons

• The smell is too complicated as it blends iconically traditional accents, meaning it won’t work for young guys

Joop Rococo

Joop Rococo is an exotically enticing blend of unusual ingredients that come together as an iconic and contemporary crossover. The smell begins with spicy interchanges that include exotic notes blending into a rich woody undertone, and it ends with a fresher aromatic scent.

Key Features

• Accords: Warm spicy, fresh spicy, woody, amber, aromatic, fresh, floral, and green
• Descending Notes: Nigerian ginger, pepper, juniper berries, ivy, styrax, freesia, amber, and mahogany
• The Attitude: Exotic, mysterious, seductive, unpredictable, and persuasive
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and lasts long enough
• Age Range: Millennials to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Century by Alfred Dunhill

Cons

• The spiciness might be overwhelming at first, making it seem too potent

Wolfgang Joop

Wolfgang Joop is a robustly masculine cologne, almost bordering beastly. It’s a 2008 salute to the man who started the brand, but it doesn’t smell as colorful as his character. It begins with a bold woody and aromatic blend that slowly dries into a floral spiciness and ends in an earthy feel.

Key Features

• Accords: Warm spicy, woody, cinnamon, lavender, aromatic, patchouli, earthy, and powdery
• Descending Notes: Cinnamon, sandalwood, patchouli, lavender, vetiver, and coriander
• The Attitude: Mature, confident, passionate, ambitious, and somewhat beastly
• Intensity: It’s moderately strong and long-lasting
• Age Range: Millennials to Gen X
• Similar Cologne: Le Male by Jean-Paul Gaultier

Cons

• This cologne doesn’t quite capture Woflgang’s vision for modern, urban men

Joop Sexy in Pink

Joop Sexy in Pink is a return to the brand founder’s vision of modern and urban men. It also has a youthful feeling, which you’ve probably missed for a while now. It has traditional notes, but they’re gentler, intertwined with a subtle sweetness for younger men.

Key Features

• Accords: Leather, warm spicy, animalistic, sweet, citrus, tobacco, and smoky
• Descending Notes: Grapefruit, saffron, and leather
• The Attitude: Youthful, beastly, self-assured, self-made, and ambitiously alluring
• Intensity: It’s an enormous wake and long-lasting
• Age Range: Gen Z to Millennial
• Similar Cologne: Curve for Men by Liz Claiborne

Cons

• It was another limited edition, meaning you sadly won’t find it forever

Which Joop Cologne Suits You?

How do you typically choose your cologne? You likely go by the smell, notes, or how long it lasts on your skin. Those are valid reasons to consider which Joop cologne suits your urban lifestyle. You can also consider your generation because wearing it by age makes perfect sense.

Scroll through the typical reasons you’d choose one, and narrow your list down to a maximum of three options before using the “best friend” strategy to make a final decision. Ask yourself, what kind of friend do you want by your side when you’re out in the urban jungle?

What qualities would you want in a friend who helps you snatch that woman you’ve had your eyes on for months now? What scented personality would make you the talk of your social group when you go out at night? Knowing who you want by your side helps you choose your cologne.

Each cologne has a unique set of attitudes, the kind of sensual personality you can expect on your skin. It helps to choose one that matches your personality, but think of your cologne as your invisible friend who socializes with you and encourages desirable behavior.

Enhancing Your Joop Fragrance

Joop colognes, fortunately, last relatively long, starting at six hours or more, but your working day or night out might just extend past the longevity of your scent. You don’t want your best friend disappearing mid-meeting or when you’re about to approach the woman who drives you mad.

You should extend the life of your fragrance with a few simple tricks.

• Balance your skin’s PH by having a warm (not hot) before applying your favorite scent. Your skin collects so much residue between showers, and treating it with a natural soap or a gentle moisturizer after a warm shower can help you maintain a better PH balance.
• You can apply moisturizer by using any unscented product or one that smells similar to your cologne. If your cologne has a sandalwood base, you can use a moisturizer with woody elements. If you have a sweet cologne, use one with juniper berries or apple.
• Another way to make your cologne stay on your skin is to apply a thin layer of Vaseline before spraying over it. The oily base will hold onto your cologne longer.
• Be creative with where you spray your cologne. Pulse points are excellent because your beating heart can amplify the scent. You can also spray some on your biceps if you exercise. Be careful of heavy citrus scents blending with sweat. They don’t work well together.
• Don’t spray cologne directly against your skin, either. Hold the nozzle about four inches away from your skin, or you’ll have a blob of your friend so highly concentrated that it doesn’t absorb into your skin.
• The smells from the Joop range are sweet, potent, and sometimes exotic, so think outside of the box. Spritz once in your hair to extend longevity.

Some products you can use to restore your PH balance in the shower include:

• Naples PH Balancing Sea Salt Soap (works well with watery notes and salty accords)
• Tree to Tub Body Wash (works well with lavender-based colognes)
• Basis Balancing Soap (it’s a neutral scent that works with most colognes)
• Crate 61 6-Pack Essential Oil Soap (includes citrus, lavender, coconut, mint, grapefruit, and lemongrass)
• Caswell-Massey Organic Soap (works well with citrus, almond, honey, rose, basil, and other aromatic notes)

Recommended Alternatives

Do you know what makes the world such a beautiful place? It’s that everyone is different and has unique preferences. We even have unique qualities we look for in friends. I have various friends I call for varying social gatherings, and each one uniquely suits my lifestyle.

My scents work the same way. I have a multitude (some people call it a mad person’s collection). I try every brand and have different smells for my changing needs. My partner’s collection is nearly as extensive as mine. I’m going to recommend a few brands based on some similarities.

You already have a recommended alternative for each cologne above, but these brands offer incredible options:

• Diesel cologne: Part of being an urbanite is the pursuit of success, and Diesel cologne is all about finding it
• Coach cologne: This is an excellent choice if you’re looking for another brand with soft feminine touches to their scents
• Tommy Bahama cologne: You can get carried away with the refreshing scents from this brand, but they’re not as urban
• Mercedes Benz cologne: This brand has two things in common with Joop. It’s German-inspired, and it’s as urban as they come
• Burberry cologne: This brand comes from one of the wildest urban jungles, London

FAQs

Joop Cologne Guide: Final Thoughts

Wolfgang Joop was undoubtedly a man of exciting tales, and his brand became a legend in the German luxury fragrance world, even standing against the giants in the global industry. Joo colognes are a connection between the traditional urban feeling and a modern vision.

Wolfgang knew men could smell as gorgeous as they wanted in cities with skyscrapers towering over us like the trees in a jungle, and who said men couldn’t enjoy some of the notes women do? Many of his colognes have a rich masculine undertone, but he introduced sweet touches.

My partner and I are Millennials, meaning we both love trying modern fragrances that take traditional accents to new levels. I love when he wears his Joop Homme, and it’s such a beautiful journey through the sweetness and into the heart where robust woody notes reside.

The gentle floral notes balance his fragrance enough to encapsulate my mind and heart. If you haven’t chosen your best friend yet, I implore that you decide what you want him to be like and try him on your next excursion. Social lives wait for no one, and you must grab them!

Read more about colognes at:

• Michael Jordan Cologne Guide: Making It Rain
• Best Sandalwood Cologne Guide: An Olfactory Scent for You
• Most Expensive Cologne Guide: All The Worthy Picks