Fragrance comparison

Around Midnight vs mb03

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 385 ratings analysed

4 wins

Around Midnight

Mark Buxton

4.1771 votes

Rank #20,553 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

mb03

biehl parfumkunstwerke

3.85314 votes

Rank #5,965 AmberBalsamic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Around Midnight takes 4 of 7 categories.

Around Midnight
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
mb03
Choose it for a amber and balsamic character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Around Midnight4/7

mb033/7

Ratings & consensus: Around Midnight
Community sentiment: Around Midnight
Longevity: mb03
Sillage & projection: Around Midnight
Value for money: Around Midnight
Versatility: mb03
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: mb03

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Around MidnightMark Buxton

mb03biehl parfumkunstwerke

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 71 votes

Have 30%Had 14%Want 56%

3.85/ 5 · 314 votes

Have 38%Had 16%Want 46%

Category winnerAround MidnightRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

42%Like

6%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

71 votes

28%Love

50%Like

5%Ok

17%Dislike

0%Hate

173 votes

Category winnerAround MidnightMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

Longevitymb03

SillageAround Midnight

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value53

Category winnerAround MidnightBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

herbal77%

aromatic69%

warm spicy61%

amber100%

balsamic90%

woody80%

musky70%

warm spicy60%

smoky50%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both amber, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

PepperChamomileGeranium

Heart1 to 2 hours

Jasmine

Base3 to 5 hours

French labdanumCedarStyraxPatchouli

Top

ChamomileElemi resinPink Pepper

Heart

—

Base

IncenseKashmir woodFrench labdanumPatchouliSandalwoodStyraxAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesChamomile, French labdanum, Styrax and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Around Midnight, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring27

Summer20

Fall80

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Spring67

Summer43

Fall100

Winter70

Day100

Night85

Category winnermb03Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

Men37

Unisex63

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,553

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#5,965

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews58

Category winnermb03Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Around Midnight by Mark Buxton is a dry, resinous oriental fougere centered on smoky woods and herbal warmth. The scent opens with a sharp burst of black pepper and aromatic chamomile, balanced by the crisp greenery of geranium. As the initial spice settles, a quiet jasmine note softens the heart before shifting into …

Reviews →

mb03 by biehl parfumkunstwerke is a Oriental Spicy fragrance for women and men. mb03 was launched in 2007. The nose behind this fragrance is Mark Buxton. middle notes are Chamomile, Elemi resin and Pink Pepper; base notes are Incense, Kashmir wood, French labdanum, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Styrax, Amber and Musk. It ope…

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, Around Midnight or mb03?

Around Midnight takes 4 of 7 categories. Around Midnight is rated 4.17/5 from 71 votes; mb03 is rated 3.85/5 from 314 votes. Choose Around Midnight for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose mb03 for a amber and balsamic character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Around Midnight or mb03?

mb03 lasts longest (mb03 70/100, Around Midnight 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Around Midnight or mb03?

Around Midnight projects furthest (Around Midnight 59/100, mb03 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Around Midnight and mb03 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Chamomile, French labdanum, Styrax and Patchouli.

Is Around Midnight or mb03 better for summer or winter?

For summer, mb03 is the stronger pick. For winter, Around Midnight is the stronger pick. Around Midnight suits evening wear; mb03 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Around Midnight and mb03?

Around Midnight has top notes of Pepper, Chamomile and Geranium, heart notes of Jasmine, a base of French labdanum, Cedar, Styrax and Patchouli. mb03 has top notes of Chamomile, Elemi resin and Pink Pepper, a base of Incense, Kashmir wood, French labdanum and Patchouli.