Fragrance comparison

Astor Place vs Essence

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 642 ratings analysed

5 wins

Astor Place

Bond No 9

3.75585 votes

Rank #9,859 FloralOzonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

Essence

Byblos

3.8457 votes

Rank #15,212 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Astor Place takes 5 of 7 categories.

Astor Place
Choose it for a floral and ozonic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Essence
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Astor Place5/7

Essence2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Astor PlaceBond No 9

EssenceByblos

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.75/ 5 · 585 votes

Have 78%Had 22%Want 0%

3.84/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 27%Had 15%Want 58%

Category winnerAstor PlaceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

43%Like

8%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

478 votes

32%Love

44%Like

2%Ok

23%Dislike

0%Hate

57 votes

Category winnerAstor PlaceMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityAstor Place

SillageAstor Place

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value32

¤ Price value75

Category winnerEssenceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

ozonic92%

powdery84%

citrus77%

musky69%

aquatic61%

citrus100%

aromatic92%

floral84%

fresh spicy77%

woody69%

marine61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both floral and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Violet LeafMandarin Orange

Heart

FreesiaRed PoppyOrris Root

Base

MuskTeak WoodAmber

Top

FreesiaBergamotMandarin OrangeNeroli

Heart

Sea waterGeraniumJasmineRose

Base

Teak WoodMuskVanillaCedar

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Freesia, Musk and Teak Wood. 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

Winter19

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer81

Fall52

Winter48

Day100

Night45

Category winnerEssenceMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex13

Women83

Men17

Unisex50

Women33

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,859

PerfumerLaurent Le Guernec

Launched—

Reviews21

Overall rank#15,212

PerfumerChristine Nagel

Launched—

Reviews13

Category winnerAstor PlaceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Astor Place opens bright and airy, with mandarin and violet leaf giving it a crisp, almost polished floral feel. As it settles, freesia, poppy and orris soften the scent into something powdery, musky and lightly woody. It reads more feminine than truly unisex to many wearers. If you like clean florals with a smooth mu…

Reviews →

Essence by Byblos is a refreshing floral woody musk launched in 2008. It opens with vibrant freesia and bergamot before settling into a sea water heart, grounding itself in teak wood and vanilla. It is a light, clean, and understated choice for a casual workday during spring or summer, sitting close to the skin withou…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Astor Place or Essence?

Astor Place takes 5 of 7 categories. Astor Place is rated 3.75/5 from 585 votes; Essence is rated 3.84/5 from 57 votes. Choose Astor Place for a floral and ozonic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Essence for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Astor Place or Essence?

Astor Place lasts longest (Astor Place 71/100, Essence 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Astor Place or Essence?

Astor Place projects furthest (Astor Place 64/100, Essence 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Astor Place and Essence smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and citrus accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Freesia, Musk and Teak Wood.

Is Astor Place or Essence better for summer or winter?

For summer, Essence is the stronger pick. For winter, Essence is the stronger pick. Essence suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Astor Place and Essence?

Astor Place has top notes of Violet Leaf and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Freesia, Red Poppy and Orris Root, a base of Musk, Teak Wood and Amber. Essence has top notes of Freesia, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Neroli, heart notes of Sea water, Geranium, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Teak Wood, Musk, Vanilla and Cedar.