Fragrance comparison

Balalaika vs L'Air du Temps Zénith

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 50 ratings analysed

Balalaika

Lucien Lelong

3.8635 votes

Rank #20,387 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

L'Air du Temps Zénith

Nina Ricci

4.0715 votes

Rank #36,077 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Balalaika
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
L'Air du Temps Zénith
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Balalaika2/4

L'Air du Temps Zénith2/4

Ratings & consensus: L'Air du Temps Zénith
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Balalaika
Sillage & projection: L'Air du Temps Zénith
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Balalaika

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BalalaikaLucien Lelong

L'Air du Temps ZénithNina Ricci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 37%Had 11%Want 52%

4.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 26%Had 23%Want 51%

Category winnerL'Air du Temps ZénithRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

39%Like

4%Ok

22%Dislike

0%Hate

23 votes · too few to score

40%Love

33%Like

20%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity47

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityBalalaika

SillageL'Air du Temps Zénith

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value45

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

woody92%

musky84%

violet77%

white floral69%

citrus61%

woody100%

powdery92%

white floral84%

fruity77%

floral69%

sweet61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both powdery, woody and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Mandarin Orange

Heart

VioletGardeniaPalisander Rosewood

Base

MuskWoody NotesVanilla

Top

PeachAldehydesRosePalisander RosewoodCarnationBergamot

Heart

GardeniaJasmineVioletRosemaryLilyOrchidOrris RootYlang-Ylang

Base

MuskSandalwoodWoody NotesSpicesAmberOakmoss

InformationalShared notesViolet, Gardenia, Palisander Rosewood and Musk. 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

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night–

Spring67

Summer33

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night57

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,387

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#36,077

PerfumerFrancis Fabron

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerBalalaikaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balalaika by Lucien Lelong is a vintage floral woody musk launched in 1939 that centers on violet and gardenia. It opens with bright mandarin orange before settling into a warm, powdery base of musk, vanilla, and woods. This fragrance suits those who enjoy classic, skin-hugging scents that feel intimate and refined fo…

Reviews →

Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps Zénith takes the iconic spicy floral structure created by Francis Fabron and delivers it in a high-concentration 2016 collector release. Sharp aldehydes and crisp bergamot spark the initial spray, giving way to a rich bouquet of clove-spiced carnation, gardenia, and ylang-ylang. The heart fee…

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, Balalaika or L'Air du Temps Zénith?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Balalaika is rated 3.86/5 from 35 votes; L'Air du Temps Zénith is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes. Choose Balalaika for a powdery and woody character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose L'Air du Temps Zénith for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Balalaika or L'Air du Temps Zénith?

Balalaika lasts longest (Balalaika 73/100, L'Air du Temps Zénith 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balalaika or L'Air du Temps Zénith?

L'Air du Temps Zénith projects furthest (L'Air du Temps Zénith 72/100, Balalaika 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balalaika and L'Air du Temps Zénith smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, woody and white floral accords. Common notes include Violet, Gardenia, Palisander Rosewood and Musk.

Is Balalaika or L'Air du Temps Zénith better for summer or winter?

Balalaika suits daytime wear; L'Air du Temps Zénith suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balalaika and L'Air du Temps Zénith?

Balalaika has top notes of Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Violet, Gardenia and Palisander Rosewood, a base of Musk, Woody Notes and Vanilla. L'Air du Temps Zénith has top notes of Peach, Aldehydes, Rose and Palisander Rosewood, heart notes of Gardenia, Jasmine, Violet and Rosemary, a base of Musk, Sandalwood, Woody Notes and Spices.