Fragrance comparison

5:40 PM in Madagascar vs Zen Summer

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

Updated 27 Oct 2026 750 ratings analysed

5:40 PM in Madagascar

Kenzo

4.12658 votes

Rank #26,760 VanillaFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

29%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Zen Summer

Shiseido

4.1692 votes

Rank #31,044 FruityCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zen Summer takes 4 of 7 categories.

5:40 PM in Madagascar
Choose it for a vanilla and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Zen Summer
Choose it for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer.

5:40 PM in Madagascar3/7

Zen Summer4/7

Ratings & consensus: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Community sentiment: Zen Summer
Longevity: Zen Summer
Sillage & projection: Zen Summer
Value for money: 5:40 PM in Madagascar
Versatility: Zen Summer
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 SummerShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.12/ 5 · 658 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

4.16/ 5 · 92 votes

Have 23%Had 17%Want 60%

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

47%Like

0%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

92 votes

Category winnerZen SummerMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityZen Summer

SillageZen Summer

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value38

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%

fruity100%

citrus92%

floral84%

sweet77%

white floral69%

woody61%

Scent match29%Clearly different · both floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Lotus

Heart

Virginia CedarFreesia

Base

Vanilla

Top

GrapefruitAmalfi LemonBlack CurrantPeachGreen Apple

Heart

FreesiaLotusGardeniaRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

RaspberryMuskVirginia 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–

Spring74

Summer100

Fall0

Winter4

Day–

Night–

Category winnerZen SummerMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex40

Women58

Men0

Unisex17

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,760

PerfumerJoAnne Bassett

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#31,044

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 Summer launches with a crisp, dew-dappled brightness that instantly cuts through oppressive humidity. The initial spray delivers a sharp splash of Amalfi lemon and bitter grapefruit, softened slightly by the green crunch of apple. As the fragrance settles on the skin, the sharp citrus edge yields to a ser…

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 Summer?

Zen Summer takes 4 of 7 categories. 5:40 PM in Madagascar is rated 4.12/5 from 658 votes; Zen Summer is rated 4.16/5 from 92 votes. Choose 5:40 PM in Madagascar for a vanilla and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Zen Summer for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer.

Which lasts longer, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Zen Summer?

Zen Summer lasts longest (Zen Summer 64/100, 5:40 PM in Madagascar 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Zen Summer?

Zen Summer projects furthest (Zen Summer 65/100, 5:40 PM in Madagascar 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 5:40 PM in Madagascar and Zen Summer smell similar?

Clearly different: a 29% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and woody accords. Common notes include Lotus, Virginia Cedar and Freesia.

Is 5:40 PM in Madagascar or Zen Summer better for summer or winter?

For summer, Zen Summer 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 Summer?

5:40 PM in Madagascar has top notes of Lotus, heart notes of Virginia Cedar and Freesia, a base of Vanilla. Zen Summer has top notes of Grapefruit, Amalfi Lemon, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Freesia, Lotus, Gardenia and Rose, a base of Raspberry, Musk, Virginia Cedar and Amber.