Fragrance comparison

Bal d'Afrique vs Guilty Pour Homme

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

Updated 31 Oct 2026 23,177 ratings analysed

5 wins

Bal d'Afrique

Byredo · 2009

4.1018,867 votes

Rank #1,377 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

Guilty Pour Homme

Gucci

3.704,310 votes

Rank #4,078 CitrusLavender

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bal d'Afrique takes 5 of 7 categories.

Bal d'Afrique
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Guilty Pour Homme
Choose it for a citrus and lavender character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Bal d'Afrique5/7

Guilty Pour Homme2/7

Ratings & consensus: Bal d'Afrique
Community sentiment: Bal d'Afrique
Longevity: Bal d'Afrique
Sillage & projection: Bal d'Afrique
Value for money: Guilty Pour Homme
Versatility: Guilty Pour Homme
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Bal d'Afrique

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Bal d'AfriqueByredo

Guilty Pour HommeGucci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.10/ 5 · 18,867 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

3.70/ 5 · 4,310 votes

Have 58%Had 28%Want 14%

Category winnerBal d'AfriqueRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

36%Like

11%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

16,124 votes

24%Love

45%Like

11%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

4,310 votes

Category winnerBal d'AfriqueMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage49

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityBal d'Afrique

SillageBal d'Afrique

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value36

¤ Price value47

Category winnerGuilty Pour HommeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody83%

floral65%

powdery61%

citrus100%

lavender91%

woody83%

aromatic74%

white floral65%

patchouli56%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Amalfi LemonMarigoldBergamotBlack CurrantAfrican Orange Flower

Heart

VioletCyclamenJasmine

Base

VetiverMuskAmberVirginia Cedar

Top30 to 45 minutes

LavenderAmalfi Lemon

Heart1 to 2 hours

African Orange Flower

Base3 to 4 hours

Virginia CedarPatchouliVanilla

InformationalShared notesAmalfi Lemon, African Orange Flower and Virginia Cedar. Durations are only published for Guilty Pour Homme, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter30

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer84

Fall71

Winter31

Day100

Night67

Category winnerGuilty Pour HommeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex47

Women49

Men89

Unisex10

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,377

PerfumerJérôme Epinette

Launched2009

Reviews1,068

Overall rank#4,078

PerfumerJacques Huclier

Launched—

Reviews210

Category winnerBal d'AfriqueHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Bal d'Afrique by Byredo is a bright floral woody fragrance that captures a breezy, sun-drenched day. It features a lively mix of Amalfi lemon, African marigold, and bergamot, leading into a soft heart of violet and cyclamen. The base of vetiver and musk settles into a clean, skin-like finish that works comfortably for…

Reviews →

Guilty Pour Homme by Gucci delivers a crisp, clean signature built on aromatic herbs and bright Mediterranean fruit. Released in 2011, it opens with sharp Amalfi lemon paired with aromatic lavender, creating an immediate shower-fresh brightness. The center softens into creamy African orange flower, introducing a gentl…

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, Bal d'Afrique or Guilty Pour Homme?

Bal d'Afrique takes 5 of 7 categories. Bal d'Afrique is rated 4.10/5 from 18,867 votes; Guilty Pour Homme is rated 3.70/5 from 4,310 votes. Choose Bal d'Afrique for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Guilty Pour Homme for a citrus and lavender character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Bal d'Afrique or Guilty Pour Homme?

Bal d'Afrique lasts longest (Bal d'Afrique 61/100, Guilty Pour Homme 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bal d'Afrique or Guilty Pour Homme?

Bal d'Afrique projects furthest (Bal d'Afrique 53/100, Guilty Pour Homme 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bal d'Afrique and Guilty Pour Homme smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Amalfi Lemon, African Orange Flower and Virginia Cedar.

Is Bal d'Afrique or Guilty Pour Homme better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Bal d'Afrique and Guilty Pour Homme?

Bal d'Afrique has top notes of Amalfi Lemon, Marigold, Bergamot and Black Currant, heart notes of Violet, Cyclamen and Jasmine, a base of Vetiver, Musk, Amber and Virginia Cedar. Guilty Pour Homme has top notes of Lavender and Amalfi Lemon, heart notes of African Orange Flower, a base of Virginia Cedar, Patchouli and Vanilla.