Fragrance comparison

Apercu vs Mata Hari

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 263 ratings analysed

Apercu

Houbigant

4.13219 votes

Rank #24,297 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Mata Hari

DSH Perfumes

4.4144 votes

Rank #17,796 FloralAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mata Hari takes 6 of 8 categories.

Apercu
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Mata Hari
Choose it for a floral and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Apercu1/8

Mata Hari6/8

Ratings & consensus: Mata Hari
Community sentiment: Mata Hari
Longevity: Mata Hari
Sillage & projection: Apercu
Value for money: Mata Hari
Versatility: Mata Hari
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Mata Hari

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ApercuHoubigant

Mata HariDSH Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 219 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.41/ 5 · 44 votes

Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%

Category winnerMata HariRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

46%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

219 votes

57%Love

36%Like

0%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

44 votes

Category winnerMata HariMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityMata Hari

SillageApercu

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMata HariBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

green69%

citrus61%

floral100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

sweet77%

woody69%

aromatic61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesAmalfi LemonJasmineBergamotNeroliTuberose

Heart2-4 hrs

CinnamonGeraniumYlang-Ylang

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossClovePatchouliCassiaVetiverSandalwood

Top15-30 mins

Fruity NotesOrangeNeroliBlood OrangeCorianderBergamotMandarin OrangeTarragon

Heart2-4 hrs

CloveCinnamonWhite HoneyChampacaJasmineTuberoseOrris RootLilac

Base6-8+ hrs

MyrhhLeatherMuskoak mossBenzoinTobaccoFrench labdanumPeru Balsam

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring79

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring50

Summer29

Fall100

Winter100

Day41

Night100

Category winnerMata HariMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex47

Women53

Work 40%Casual 31%Date 20%Party 9%

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Date 42%Party 32%Casual 16%Work 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,297

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#17,796

PerfumerDawn Spencer Hurwitz

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerMata HariHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Houbigant Apercu brings traditional chypre construction into sharp, modern focus. It opens with bitter bergamot, crisp neroli, and crushed green stems. The oakmoss hits quickly. Fresh Amalfi lemon balances a dry heart of spicy cinnamon and brisk geranium. There is no candy here. The fragrance dries down into dark patc…

Reviews →

Mata Hari by DSH Perfumes is a fierce, vintage-styled fruity chypre built on uncompromising botanical contrasts. The scent hits the skin with a tart blast of blood orange, bitter coriander, and sweet candied fruit notes. It does not apologize. Within twenty minutes, the bright citrus flash fades into a thick, sultry b…

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, Apercu or Mata Hari?

Mata Hari takes 6 of 8 categories. Apercu is rated 4.13/5 from 219 votes; Mata Hari is rated 4.41/5 from 44 votes. Choose Apercu for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Mata Hari for a floral and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Apercu or Mata Hari?

Mata Hari lasts longest (Mata Hari 77/100, Apercu 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Apercu or Mata Hari?

Apercu projects furthest (Apercu 62/100, Mata Hari 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Apercu and Mata Hari smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Bergamot, Neroli and Tuberose.

Is Apercu or Mata Hari better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mata Hari is the stronger pick. For winter, Apercu is the stronger pick. Apercu suits daytime wear; Mata Hari suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Apercu and Mata Hari?

Apercu has top notes of Green Notes, Amalfi Lemon, Jasmine and Bergamot, heart notes of Cinnamon, Geranium and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Clove, Patchouli and Cassia. Mata Hari has top notes of Fruity Notes, Orange, Neroli and Blood Orange, heart notes of Clove, Cinnamon, White Honey and Champaca, a base of Myrhh, Leather, Musk and oak moss.