Fragrance comparison

Aqua vs DNA

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 108 ratings analysed

Aqua

Denim

3.8817 votes

Rank #46,519 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

DNA

Bijan

3.8491 votes

Rank #8,577 AromaticAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

DNA takes 4 of 5 categories.

Aqua
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
DNA
Choose it for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Aqua1/5

DNA4/5

Ratings & consensus: DNA
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: DNA
Sillage & projection: DNA
Value for money: Aqua
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: DNA

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AquaDenim

DNABijan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.88/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 38%Had 33%Want 29%

3.84/ 5 · 91 votes

Have 37%Had 21%Want 42%

Category winnerDNARating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

41%Like

24%Ok

0%Dislike

6%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

44%Love

39%Like

1%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

77 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity45

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityDNA

SillageDNA

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value84

¤ Price value45

Category winnerAquaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic91%

citrus83%

fresh spicy74%

amber65%

green56%

aromatic100%

amber92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

white floral61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

CitrusesMintRosemary

Heart1-2 hrs

Vetiver

Base2-4 hrs

SandalwoodAmber

Top

GeraniumYlang-YlangRosemaryBergamotMint

Heart

ClovesTuberoseOsmanthusJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base

MyrrhSandalwoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverAmberVanilla

InformationalShared notesMint, Rosemary, Vetiver and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Aqua, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring77

Summer100

Fall38

Winter8

Day100

Night26

Spring19

Summer14

Fall81

Winter100

Day38

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 49%Work 31%Date 11%Party 8%

Men0

Unisex44

Women56

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#46,519

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#8,577

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Category winnerDNAHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Denim Aqua delivers a brisk, no-nonsense splash of sharp citruses, crushed garden mint, and pine-like rosemary right out of the nozzle. The initial blast feels bracing and cold. Give it five minutes to settle, and the sharp alcohol sting fades into clean earthy vetiver and dry sandalwood. A hint of sweet amber keeps t…

Reviews →

DNA by Bijan is a bold 1990s floral with a spicy, resinous backbone. Reviewers often describe it as warm, rich, musky and assertive, with geranium, herbs and spice up top before the florals sink into myrrh, benzoin, sandalwood, amber and vanilla. It suits people who enjoy vintage-style statement perfumes more than cle…

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, Aqua or DNA?

DNA takes 4 of 5 categories. Aqua is rated 3.88/5 from 17 votes; DNA is rated 3.84/5 from 91 votes. Choose Aqua for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose DNA for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Aqua or DNA?

DNA lasts longest (DNA 79/100, Aqua 45/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Aqua or DNA?

DNA projects furthest (DNA 69/100, Aqua 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aqua and DNA smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and amber accords. Common notes include Mint, Rosemary, Vetiver and Sandalwood.

Is Aqua or DNA better for summer or winter?

Aqua suits daytime wear; DNA suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aqua and DNA?

Aqua has top notes of Citruses, Mint and Rosemary, heart notes of Vetiver, a base of Sandalwood and Amber. DNA has top notes of Geranium, Ylang-Ylang, Rosemary and Bergamot, heart notes of Cloves, Tuberose, Osmanthus and Jasmine, a base of Myrrh, Sandalwood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.