Fragrance comparison

212 Men vs Surf

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 8,503 ratings analysed

4 wins

212 Men

Carolina Herrera

4.228,483 votes

Rank #25,914 CitrusGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

Surf

Armaf

3.4520 votes

Rank #34,616 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

212 Men takes 4 of 5 categories.

212 Men
Choose it for a citrus and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Surf
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

212 Men4/5

Surf1/5

Ratings & consensus: 212 Men
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 212 Men
Sillage & projection: 212 Men
Value for money: Surf
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 212 Men

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

212 MenCarolina Herrera

SurfArmaf

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.22/ 5 · 8,483 votes

Have 56%Had 44%Want 0%

3.45/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 48%Had 10%Want 42%

Category winner212 MenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

42%Like

4%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

8,483 votes

20%Love

40%Like

15%Ok

15%Dislike

10%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

Longevity212 Men

Sillage212 Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value69

Category winnerSurfBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

green92%

fresh spicy84%

aromatic77%

woody69%

powdery61%

citrus100%

aromatic90%

fresh spicy80%

aquatic70%

lavender60%

fresh50%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

Green NotesGrapefruitSpicesBergamotLavenderPetitgrain

Heart

GingerVioletGardeniaSage

Base

MuskSandalwoodIncenseVetiverGuaiac WoodLabdanum

Top

LemonBergamotGrapefruit

Heart

Watery NotesLavenderSageGreen Notes

Base

OakmossGuaiac WoodMuskPatchouli

InformationalShared notesGreen Notes, Grapefruit, Bergamot and Lavender. 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Spring82

Summer100

Fall9

Winter18

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men91

Unisex8

Women1

Men72

Unisex22

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,914

PerfumerAlberto Morillas, Ann Gottlieb, Rosendo Mateu

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#34,616

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winner212 MenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

212 Men by Carolina Herrera is a Woody Floral Musk fragrance for men. 212 Men was launched in 1999. 212 Men was created by Alberto Morillas, Rosendo Mateu and Ann Gottlieb. Top notes are Green Notes, Grapefruit, Spices, Bergamot, Lavender and Petitgrain; middle notes are Ginger, Violet, Gardenia and Sage; base notes a…

Reviews →

Armaf Surf kicks off with a sharp splash of fresh grapefruit and bitter bergamot, bringing an instant, breezy energy. Rather than fading into thin air, this bright opening settles into a clean, herbal heart of sage and green notes. It mimics the salty, damp air of a morning coast line. As it warms on the skin, the fra…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 212 Men or Surf?

212 Men takes 4 of 5 categories. 212 Men is rated 4.22/5 from 8,483 votes; Surf is rated 3.45/5 from 20 votes. Choose 212 Men for a citrus and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Surf for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 212 Men or Surf?

212 Men lasts longest (212 Men 69/100, Surf 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 212 Men or Surf?

212 Men projects furthest (212 Men 58/100, Surf 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 212 Men and Surf smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Green Notes, Grapefruit, Bergamot and Lavender.

Is 212 Men or Surf better for summer or winter?

Surf suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 212 Men and Surf?

212 Men has top notes of Green Notes, Grapefruit, Spices and Bergamot, heart notes of Ginger, Violet, Gardenia and Sage, a base of Musk, Sandalwood, Incense and Vetiver. Surf has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot and Grapefruit, heart notes of Watery Notes, Lavender, Sage and Green Notes, a base of Oakmoss, Guaiac Wood, Musk and Patchouli.