Fragrance comparison

5:40 PM in Madagascar vs Musk 12

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

Updated 27 Oct 2026 2,225 ratings analysed

6 wins

5:40 PM in Madagascar

Kenzo

4.12658 votes

Rank #26,760 VanillaFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

Musk 12

Kayali Fragrances

4.061,567 votes

Rank #27,877 MuskyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

5:40 PM in Madagascar takes 6 of 7 categories.

5:40 PM in Madagascar
Choose it for a vanilla and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Musk 12
Choose it for a musky and powdery character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

5:40 PM in Madagascar6/7

Musk 121/7

Ratings & consensus: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Community sentiment: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Longevity: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Sillage & projection: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Value for money: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Versatility: Musk 12
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 5:40 PM in Madagascar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

5:40 PM in MadagascarKenzo

Musk 12Kayali Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.12/ 5 · 658 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

4.06/ 5 · 1,567 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

Category winner5:40 PM in MadagascarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

47%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

658 votes

41%Love

34%Like

17%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

1,567 votes

Category winner5:40 PM in MadagascarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage39

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

Longevity5:40 PM in Madagascar

Sillage5:40 PM in Madagascar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value42

Category winner5:40 PM in MadagascarBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

floral86%

woody72%

powdery58%

aquatic44%

ozonic30%

musky100%

powdery90%

floral80%

vanilla70%

woody60%

white floral50%

Scent match61%Closely related · both vanilla, floral and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Lotus

Heart

Virginia CedarFreesia

Base

Vanilla

Top

FreesiaLotus

Heart

MuskJasmine

Base

VanillaSandalwood

InformationalShared notesLotus, Freesia and Vanilla. 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

Winter67

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer81

Fall84

Winter64

Day100

Night48

Category winnerMusk 12Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex40

Women58

Men1

Unisex18

Women81

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,760

PerfumerJoAnne Bassett

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#27,877

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winner5:40 PM in MadagascarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

5:40 PM in Madagascar by Kenzo offers an unusual twist on gourmand themes by marrying clean lotus and freesia with a soft vanilla base. Released in 2009, this unisex eau de toilette opens with a watery, dewy petal sensation that feels fresh rather than sugary sweet. As it warms on skin, dry Virginia cedarwood cuts thr…

Reviews →

Kayali Fragrances Musk 12 opens with a quiet, watery freshness from lotus and freesia before quickly shifting into a warm skin scent. The musk here is clean, fluffy, and slightly sweet, lacking the dirty or metallic edge found in heavier retro blends. As it rests on the skin, a soft vanilla and sandalwood base creates…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Musk 12?

5:40 PM in Madagascar takes 6 of 7 categories. 5:40 PM in Madagascar is rated 4.12/5 from 658 votes; Musk 12 is rated 4.06/5 from 1,567 votes. Choose 5:40 PM in Madagascar for a vanilla and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Musk 12 for a musky and powdery character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Musk 12?

5:40 PM in Madagascar lasts longest (5:40 PM in Madagascar 60/100, Musk 12 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Musk 12?

5:40 PM in Madagascar projects furthest (5:40 PM in Madagascar 54/100, Musk 12 39/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 5:40 PM in Madagascar and Musk 12 smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, floral and powdery accords. Common notes include Lotus, Freesia and Vanilla.

Is 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Musk 12 better for summer or winter?

For summer, Musk 12 is the stronger pick. For winter, 5:40 PM in Madagascar is the stronger pick. Musk 12 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 5:40 PM in Madagascar and Musk 12?

5:40 PM in Madagascar has top notes of Lotus, heart notes of Virginia Cedar and Freesia, a base of Vanilla. Musk 12 has top notes of Freesia and Lotus, heart notes of Musk and Jasmine, a base of Vanilla and Sandalwood.