Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs M for Men

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 131 ratings analysed

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #26,437 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

17%scent match

Clearly different

M for Men

Marilyn Miglin

4.009 votes

Rank #38,660

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
M for Men
Choose it for its signature character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ébène2/4

M for Men2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

M for MenMarilyn Miglin

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.00/ 5 · 9 votes

Have 58%Had 4%Want 38%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

59%Love

30%Like

2%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

122 votes

44%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

22%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage79

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityÉbène

SillageM for Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value75

Category winnerM for MenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

Not enough data

Scent match17%Clearly different

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

Top30 to 45 minutes

BergamotLemon

Heart2 to 4 hours

ArtemisiaBasilThyme

Base5 to 8 hours

LabdanumHayHoney

InformationalShared notesArtemisia, Basil, Bergamot and Lemon. Durations are only published for M for Men, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Spring20

Summer0

Fall100

Winter80

Day40

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,437

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#38,660

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerÉbèneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ébène by Pierre Balmain delivers a dark wood experience driven by myrrh oil and deep ebony wood. Built for winter evenings in a heavy coat, this scent contrasts hot cinnamon against dry tobacco. It wears heavy and warm on the skin, offering a smoky performance that stands out in cold weather.

Reviews →

M for Men by Marilyn Miglin delivers an aromatic green profile built around classic herbs and rich resins. The scent opens with a sharp burst of fresh lemon and bright bergamot, creating an immediate citrus greeting. As the opening settles, the heart turns dry and herbal through bitter artemisia, garden basil, and pun…

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, Ébène or M for Men?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; M for Men is rated 4.00/5 from 9 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose M for Men for its signature character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or M for Men?

They last about the same: Ébène 75/100, M for Men 73/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or M for Men?

M for Men projects furthest (M for Men 79/100, Ébène 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and M for Men smell similar?

Clearly different: a 17% scent match on Fragranxe. They share few main accords. Common notes include Artemisia, Basil, Bergamot and Lemon.

Is Ébène or M for Men better for summer or winter?

Ébène suits evening wear; M for Men suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and M for Men?

Ébène has top notes of Mint, Aldehydes, Caraway and Anise, heart notes of Pine, Carnation, Geranium and Patchouli, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Labdanum and Amber. M for Men has top notes of Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Artemisia, Basil and Thyme, a base of Labdanum, Hay and Honey.