Fragrance comparison

Balahe vs Maroussia

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 3,646 ratings analysed

5 wins

Balahe

Leonard

4.23521 votes

Rank #4,195 SweetPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Maroussia

Slava Zaitsev

3.703,125 votes

Rank #2,256 PowderyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Balahe takes 5 of 8 categories.

Balahe
Choose it for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Maroussia
Choose it for a powdery and amber character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Balahe5/8

Maroussia2/8

Ratings & consensus: Balahe
Community sentiment: Balahe
Longevity: Balahe
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Maroussia
Versatility: Balahe
Note pyramid (duration): Balahe
Fragranxe ranking: Maroussia

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BalaheLeonard

MaroussiaSlava Zaitsev

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 521 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

3.70/ 5 · 3,125 votes

Have 67%Had 33%Want 0%

Category winnerBalaheRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

521 votes

27%Love

44%Like

5%Ok

22%Dislike

3%Hate

3,125 votes

Category winnerBalaheMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityBalahe

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value51

¤ Price value83

Category winnerMaroussiaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

powdery92%

white floral84%

woody77%

musky69%

fruity61%

powdery100%

amber92%

woody84%

floral77%

warm spicy69%

vanilla61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both powdery and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

PlumAldehydesClary SageCorianderAnisePineappleMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

TuberoseOrchidOrris RootYlang-YlangIrisRoseJasmineOrange Blossom

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetOpoponaxVanillaSandalwoodMuskVetiver

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesOrange BlossomPeachBergamot

Heart3-5 hrs

CarnationYlang-YlangTuberoseHeliotropeIrisJasmineRoseOrchid

Base7-10+ hrs

CivetSandalwoodAmberBenzoinVanillaMuskTonka BeanCedar

Category winnerBalaheLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring27

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring27

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerBalaheMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex44

Women55

Date 41%Party 33%Casual 15%Work 10%

Men3

Unisex21

Women76

Date 36%Party 29%Casual 25%Work 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,195

PerfumerDaniel Moliere

Launched—

Reviews50

Overall rank#2,256

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews203

Category winnerMaroussiaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balahe by Leonard is a decadent 1983 oriental floral that refuses to whisper. Dark, syrupy plum immediately collides with sharp aldehydes and spicy coriander in the opening. Give it five minutes. Once that initial solvent burst settles, a lush heart of creamy tuberose, powdery iris, and warm ylang-ylang unfolds across…

Reviews →

Slava Zaitsev Maroussia hits the air with a brisk, soapy rush of aldehydes, crisp bergamot, and sweet orange blossom that immediately brings to mind frosty morning air. As the initial fizzy burst settles, a dense core of spicy carnation, creamy ylang-ylang, and buttery tuberose unfolds across the skin, giving the frag…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Balahe or Maroussia?

Balahe takes 5 of 8 categories. Balahe is rated 4.23/5 from 521 votes; Maroussia is rated 3.70/5 from 3,125 votes. Choose Balahe for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Maroussia for a powdery and amber character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Balahe or Maroussia?

Balahe lasts longest (Balahe 72/100, Maroussia 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balahe or Maroussia?

Projection is very close: Balahe 62/100, Maroussia 62/100 for sillage.

Do Balahe and Maroussia smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery and woody accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Tuberose and Orchid.

Is Balahe or Maroussia better for summer or winter?

For summer, Balahe is the stronger pick. For winter, Balahe is the stronger pick. Balahe suits evening wear; Maroussia suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balahe and Maroussia?

Balahe has top notes of Plum, Aldehydes, Clary Sage and Coriander, heart notes of Tuberose, Orchid, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Opoponax, Vanilla and Sandalwood. Maroussia has top notes of Aldehydes, Orange Blossom, Peach and Bergamot, heart notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Tuberose and Heliotrope, a base of Civet, Sandalwood, Amber and Benzoin.