Fragrance comparison

Bal d'Afrique vs Not a Girl

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 19,015 ratings analysed

Bal d'Afrique

Byredo · 2009

4.1018,867 votes

Rank #1,423 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

65%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Not a Girl

ByBozo

3.77148 votes

Rank #19,630 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Not a Girl takes 4 of 7 categories.

Bal d'Afrique
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Not a Girl
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Bal d'Afrique3/7

Not a Girl4/7

Ratings & consensus: Bal d'Afrique
Community sentiment: Bal d'Afrique
Longevity: Not a Girl
Sillage & projection: Not a Girl
Value for money: Not a Girl
Versatility: Not a Girl
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

Not a GirlByBozo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.10/ 5 · 18,867 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

3.77/ 5 · 148 votes

Have 42%Had 24%Want 34%

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

41%Like

25%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

148 votes

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

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityNot a Girl

SillageNot a Girl

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value36

¤ Price value45

Category winnerNot a GirlBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody83%

floral65%

powdery61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

fruity69%

floral61%

Scent match65%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and floral

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

Top

MarigoldBlack CurrantBergamotLemonOrange

Heart

VioletJasmineCyclamen

Base

VetiverMuskVirginian CedarAmbergris

InformationalShared notesMarigold, Bergamot, Black Currant and Violet. 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

Winter30

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer79

Fall85

Winter33

Day100

Night26

Category winnerNot a GirlMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex47

Women49

Men6

Unisex36

Women58

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,423

PerfumerJérôme Epinette

Launched2009

Reviews1,068

Overall rank#19,630

PerfumerPaul Emilien

Launched—

Reviews5

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 →

Not a Girl by ByBozo is an aromatic woody fragrance for women, launched in 2021. It opens with a sharp burst of marigold and black currant before settling into a heart of violet and jasmine. The base features vetiver and musk, offering an earthy finish. This composition works well for daily wear in spring and fall wea…

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 Not a Girl?

Not a Girl takes 4 of 7 categories. Bal d'Afrique is rated 4.10/5 from 18,867 votes; Not a Girl is rated 3.77/5 from 148 votes. Choose Bal d'Afrique for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Not a Girl for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Bal d'Afrique or Not a Girl?

Not a Girl lasts longest (Not a Girl 65/100, Bal d'Afrique 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bal d'Afrique or Not a Girl?

Projection is very close: Not a Girl 54/100, Bal d'Afrique 53/100 for sillage.

Do Bal d'Afrique and Not a Girl smell similar?

Closely related: a 65% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and floral accords. Common notes include Marigold, Bergamot, Black Currant and Violet.

Is Bal d'Afrique or Not a Girl better for summer or winter?

For summer, Not a Girl is the stronger pick. For winter, Not a Girl is the stronger pick. Not a Girl suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bal d'Afrique and Not a Girl?

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. Not a Girl has top notes of Marigold, Black Currant, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Jasmine and Cyclamen, a base of Vetiver, Musk, Virginian Cedar and Ambergris.