Fragrance comparison

Background vs Zero Plus Masculine

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 911 ratings analysed

5 wins

Background

Jil Sander

4.52181 votes

Rank #4,522 AnisVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Zero Plus Masculine

Diesel

3.44730 votes

Rank #29,779 Warm SpicyCinnamon

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Background takes 5 of 7 categories.

Background
Choose it for a anis and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Zero Plus Masculine
Choose it for a warm spicy and cinnamon character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Background5/7

Zero Plus Masculine2/7

Ratings & consensus: Background
Community sentiment: Background
Longevity: Background
Sillage & projection: Background
Value for money: Zero Plus Masculine
Versatility: Zero Plus Masculine
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Background

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BackgroundJil Sander

Zero Plus MasculineDiesel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.52/ 5 · 181 votes

Have 30%Had 25%Want 45%

3.44/ 5 · 730 votes

Have 38%Had 50%Want 12%

Category winnerBackgroundRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

61%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

181 votes

19%Love

41%Like

7%Ok

31%Dislike

2%Hate

730 votes

Category winnerBackgroundMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityBackground

SillageBackground

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value78

Category winnerZero Plus MasculineBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

anis100%

vanilla92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

sweet61%

warm spicy100%

cinnamon88%

powdery77%

vanilla65%

fresh spicy53%

floral42%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both warm spicy and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AniseRaspberryTarragonLavenderBergamotLemon

Heart

CinnamonCarnationJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyHeliotropeRose

Base

BenzoinVanillaCedarTonka BeanAmberSandalwoodMusk

Top30 to 45 minutes

NutmegCardamomAniseOrangeBergamot

Heart2 to 4 hours

CinnamonRoseVioletJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base4 to 7 hours

VanillaMuskAmberHeliotropePatchouli

InformationalShared notesAnise, Bergamot, Cinnamon and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Zero Plus Masculine, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring92

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring30

Summer15

Fall75

Winter100

Day76

Night100

Category winnerZero Plus MasculineMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men75

Unisex22

Women3

Men73

Unisex24

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,522

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews16

Overall rank#29,779

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBackgroundHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Background 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 →

Zero Plus Masculine by Diesel is a warm, spicy oriental woody cologne built around an assertive rush of holiday spices and sweet amber. The scent opens with a sharp burst of nutmeg, anise, and cardamom, cut through by brisk bergamot and bright orange. As the initial sharpness calms, a heavy heart of ground cinnamon bl…

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, Background or Zero Plus Masculine?

Background takes 5 of 7 categories. Background is rated 4.52/5 from 181 votes; Zero Plus Masculine is rated 3.44/5 from 730 votes. Choose Background for a anis and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Zero Plus Masculine for a warm spicy and cinnamon character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Background or Zero Plus Masculine?

Background lasts longest (Background 77/100, Zero Plus Masculine 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Background or Zero Plus Masculine?

Background projects furthest (Background 68/100, Zero Plus Masculine 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Background and Zero Plus Masculine smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and vanilla accords. Common notes include Anise, Bergamot, Cinnamon and Jasmine.

Is Background or Zero Plus Masculine better for summer or winter?

For summer, Zero Plus Masculine is the stronger pick. For winter, Background is the stronger pick. Zero Plus Masculine suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Background and Zero Plus Masculine?

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. Zero Plus Masculine has top notes of Nutmeg, Cardamom, Anise and Orange, heart notes of Cinnamon, Rose, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Vanilla, Musk, Amber and Heliotrope.