Fragrance comparison

Akatsuki Melba vs The Key

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 923 ratings analysed

Akatsuki Melba

FOMOWA Paris

3.96138 votes

Rank #9,150 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

The Key

Justin Bieber

3.89785 votes

Rank #2,896 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Key takes 4 of 7 categories.

Akatsuki Melba
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
The Key
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Akatsuki Melba3/7

The Key4/7

Ratings & consensus: The Key
Community sentiment: Akatsuki Melba
Longevity: Akatsuki Melba
Sillage & projection: Akatsuki Melba
Value for money: The Key
Versatility: The Key
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: The Key

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Akatsuki MelbaFOMOWA Paris

The KeyJustin Bieber

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 138 votes

Have 35%Had 7%Want 59%

3.89/ 5 · 785 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerThe KeyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

49%Love

25%Like

7%Ok

9%Dislike

9%Hate

138 votes

35%Love

40%Like

5%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

785 votes

Category winnerAkatsuki MelbaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityAkatsuki Melba

SillageAkatsuki Melba

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value69

Category winnerThe KeyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet83%

vanilla65%

aromatic48%

powdery30%

fruity100%

sweet90%

musky80%

powdery70%

floral60%

aquatic50%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both fruity, sweet and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PeachOsmanthus

Heart

RaspberryJellyCassis

Base

Salted CaramelTahitian VanillaTonka Bean

Top

PearBoysenberryMandarin OrangeOsmanthus

Heart

PeachWater LilyPink Jasmine

Base

MuskVanillaRaspberryWoody Notes

InformationalShared notesPeach, Osmanthus, Raspberry and Tahitian 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

Winter74

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer81

Fall47

Winter38

Day100

Night34

Category winnerThe KeyMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex55

Women43

Men0

Unisex8

Women92

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,150

PerfumerCamille Leguay

Launched—

Reviews15

Overall rank#2,896

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews147

Category winnerThe KeyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Akatsuki Melba opens with bright peach nectar and floral osmanthus before sinking into a sugary raspberry jelly heart. As the fruit notes settle, Tahitian vanilla and salted caramel bring a warm, chewy sweetness to the dry down. It suits cool spring mornings and cozy sweater evenings for gourmand lovers.

Reviews →

Justin Bieber's The Key shifts away from the cloying sweetness of his earlier releases, offering a clean, shampoo-like brightness. The fragrance centers on a crisp pear note, which is backed by a soft, laundry-style musk. It works well as a casual, daytime option for spring when you want to smell freshly showered with…

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, Akatsuki Melba or The Key?

The Key takes 4 of 7 categories. Akatsuki Melba is rated 3.96/5 from 138 votes; The Key is rated 3.89/5 from 785 votes. Choose Akatsuki Melba for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose The Key for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Akatsuki Melba or The Key?

Akatsuki Melba lasts longest (Akatsuki Melba 79/100, The Key 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Akatsuki Melba or The Key?

Akatsuki Melba projects furthest (Akatsuki Melba 69/100, The Key 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Akatsuki Melba and The Key smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, sweet and powdery accords. Common notes include Peach, Osmanthus, Raspberry and Tahitian Vanilla.

Is Akatsuki Melba or The Key better for summer or winter?

For summer, The Key is the stronger pick. For winter, Akatsuki Melba is the stronger pick. The Key suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Akatsuki Melba and The Key?

Akatsuki Melba has top notes of Peach and Osmanthus, heart notes of Raspberry, Jelly and Cassis, a base of Salted Caramel, Tahitian Vanilla and Tonka Bean. The Key has top notes of Pear, Boysenberry, Mandarin Orange and Osmanthus, heart notes of Peach, Water Lily and Pink Jasmine, a base of Musk, Vanilla, Raspberry and Woody Notes.