Fragrance comparison

5:40 PM in Madagascar vs Zen Eau de Parfum

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

Updated 27 Oct 2026 907 ratings analysed

6 wins

5:40 PM in Madagascar

Kenzo

4.12658 votes

Rank #26,760 VanillaFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

Zen Eau de Parfum

Shiseido

3.86249 votes

Rank #30,270 FloralWhite Floral

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.
Zen Eau de Parfum
Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring.

5:40 PM in Madagascar6/7

Zen Eau de Parfum1/7

Ratings & consensus: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Community sentiment: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Longevity: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Sillage & projection: Zen Eau de Parfum
Value for money: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Versatility: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
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

Zen Eau de ParfumShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.12/ 5 · 658 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

3.86/ 5 · 249 votes

Have 29%Had 27%Want 44%

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

30%Love

48%Like

2%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

249 votes

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

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

Longevity5:40 PM in Madagascar

SillageZen Eau de Parfum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value46

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%

floral100%

white floral91%

citrus83%

powdery74%

tuberose65%

sweet56%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both 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

FreesiaCitrusesLimeLily-of-the-Valley

Heart

Almond BlossomLotusTuberoseMimosaJasmineRose

Base

MuskVirginia CedarAmber

InformationalShared notesLotus, Virginia Cedar and Freesia. 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter23

Day–

Night–

Category winner5:40 PM in MadagascarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex40

Women58

Men7

Unisex7

Women87

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,760

PerfumerJoAnne Bassett

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#30,270

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 →

Shiseido Zen Eau de Parfum 2010 opens with a crisp burst of tart freesia and bright lime. Unlike the golden cube of the original version, this purple-bottled limited edition leans heavily into a cool floral structure that feels refreshing on hot summer nights. As the scent warms on your skin, the sharp citrus edge shi…

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 Zen Eau de Parfum?

5:40 PM in Madagascar takes 6 of 7 categories. 5:40 PM in Madagascar is rated 4.12/5 from 658 votes; Zen Eau de Parfum is rated 3.86/5 from 249 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 Zen Eau de Parfum for a floral and white floral character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Zen Eau de Parfum?

They last about the same: 5:40 PM in Madagascar 60/100, Zen Eau de Parfum 59/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Zen Eau de Parfum?

Zen Eau de Parfum projects furthest (Zen Eau de Parfum 59/100, 5:40 PM in Madagascar 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 5:40 PM in Madagascar and Zen Eau de Parfum smell similar?

Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and powdery accords. Common notes include Lotus, Virginia Cedar and Freesia.

Is 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Zen Eau de Parfum better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in 5:40 PM in Madagascar and Zen Eau de Parfum?

5:40 PM in Madagascar has top notes of Lotus, heart notes of Virginia Cedar and Freesia, a base of Vanilla. Zen Eau de Parfum has top notes of Freesia, Citruses, Lime and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Almond Blossom, Lotus, Tuberose and Mimosa, a base of Musk, Virginia Cedar and Amber.