Background vs Secondscent
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
38%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Background takes 5 of 7 categories.
BackgroundChoose it for a anis and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
SecondscentChoose it for a vanilla and powdery character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Background5/7
Secondscent2/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Background
- Community sentiment
- Secondscent
- Longevity
- Background
- Sillage & projection
- Background
- Value for money
- Background
- Versatility
- Secondscent
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Background
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
BackgroundJil SanderSecondscentTed BakerWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.52/ 5 · 181 votes
Have 30%Had 25%Want 45%
4.24/ 5 · 33 votes
Have 26%Had 21%Want 53%
Category winnerBackgroundRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate61%Love
33%Like
2%Ok
4%Dislike
0%Hate
181 votes
24%Love
76%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
33 votes
Category winnerSecondscentMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBackground
SillageBackground
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBackgroundBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothanis100%
vanilla92%
amber84%
warm spicy77%
aromatic69%
sweet61%
vanilla100%
powdery91%
white floral83%
floral74%
anis65%
almond56%
Scent match38%Some overlap · both vanilla and anis
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
AniseRaspberryTarragonLavenderBergamotLemon
Heart
CinnamonCarnationJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyHeliotropeRose
Base
BenzoinVanillaCedarTonka BeanAmberSandalwoodMusk
Top
AniseHawthornLily-of-the-Valley
Heart
HeliotropeJasmineTiare Flower
Base
VanillaMuskSandalwood
InformationalShared notesAnise, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley and Heliotrope. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring92
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring56
Summer22
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night54
Category winnerSecondscentMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#4,595
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews16
Overall rank#33,016
PerfumerSophie Labbé
Launched—
Reviews4
Category winnerBackgroundHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBackground by Jil Sander is a distinctive oriental fougere that opens with a brisk combination of sweet anise, tart raspberry, and herbal lavender. As the initial freshness settles on the skin, a warm core of cinnamon, carnation, and powdery heliotrope emerges, adding a cozy spicy sweetness. The base grounds the fragr…
Reviews →Secondscent by Ted Baker leans into powdery comfort with sweet anise and soft florals. The scent opens with a light, spicy kick of star anise before melting into cozy heliotrope and warm vanilla. It fits quiet office wear on cool autumn days when you want a gentle skin scent that stays private rather than filling a wh…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Background or Secondscent?
Background takes 5 of 7 categories. Background is rated 4.52/5 from 181 votes; Secondscent is rated 4.24/5 from 33 votes. Choose Background for a anis and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Secondscent for a vanilla and powdery character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Background or Secondscent?
Background lasts longest (Background 77/100, Secondscent 37/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Background or Secondscent?
Background projects furthest (Background 68/100, Secondscent 43/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Background and Secondscent smell similar?
Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla and anis accords. Common notes include Anise, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley and Heliotrope.
Is Background or Secondscent better for summer or winter?
For summer, Secondscent is the stronger pick. For winter, Background is the stronger pick. Secondscent suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Background and Secondscent?
Background has top notes of Anise, Raspberry, Tarragon and Lavender, heart notes of Cinnamon, Carnation, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Benzoin, Vanilla, Cedar and Tonka Bean. Secondscent has top notes of Anise, Hawthorn and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Heliotrope, Jasmine and Tiare Flower, a base of Vanilla, Musk and Sandalwood.
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