You've narrowed it down to two. Both smell amazing. Both fit your budget. Both get good reviews. How do you choose? Here's the decision framework.
Wear Each One for a Full Week
Buy decants of both. Wear one exclusively for 7 days, then switch to the other for 7 days. By the end of two weeks, one will feel like "yours" and the other will feel like "a fragrance you like." Trust that gut feeling.
The Weather Test
If your two-week test spans different weather, pay attention to which one adapts better. A fragrance that works in both sunshine and rain is more versatile than one that only shines in specific conditions.
The Compliment Test
Wear each one around different people without mentioning it. If one consistently earns comments and the other doesn't, that's real-world data you can't get from reviews.
The 3am Test
When you think about fragrance late at night, which one do you want to spray tomorrow morning? The one that excites you more on a subconscious level is the winner.
Or Just Keep Both
Two decants cost $8-12 total. You don't have to choose. Rotate them based on mood, and the one you reach for more often naturally becomes the favorite.