Balance vs Begum
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
28%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Begum takes 5 of 7 categories.
BalanceChoose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
BegumChoose it for a woody and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Balance2/7
Begum5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Begum
- Community sentiment
- Begum
- Longevity
- Begum
- Sillage & projection
- Begum
- Value for money
- Balance
- Versatility
- Balance
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Begum
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
BalanceSymétrieBegumXerjoffWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.14/ 5 · 76 votes
Have 33%Had 27%Want 40%
4.16/ 5 · 140 votes
Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%
Category winnerBegumRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate7%Love
32%Like
37%Ok
20%Dislike
5%Hate
76 votes
55%Love
22%Like
11%Ok
8%Dislike
4%Hate
140 votes
Category winnerBegumMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBegum
SillageBegum
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBalanceBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothfloral100%
white floral92%
musky84%
citrus77%
fresh69%
green61%
woody100%
rose92%
powdery84%
floral77%
sweet69%
vanilla61%
Scent match28%Clearly different · both floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
FreesiaBergamotBlack Currant
Heart
Lily-of-the-ValleyBulgarian RoseYlang-Ylang
Base
MuskAmberSandalwoodWhite Woods
Top
Red BerriesBergamotLemonFreesia
Heart
Damask RoseBulgarian RoseIrisYlang-YlangLilacJasmine SambacLily-of-the-Valley
Base
SandalwoodVanillaPalisander RosewoodPatchouliAmberMuskVetiver
InformationalShared notesFreesia, Bergamot, Lily-of-the-Valley and Bulgarian Rose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer77
Fall27
Winter12
Day100
Night26
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter89
Day–
Night–
Category winnerBalanceMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#24,411
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews22
Overall rank#7,040
PerfumerChris Maurice
Launched—
Reviews12
Category winnerBegumHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBalance by Symétrie arrived in 2017 as a bright Floral Woody Musk aimed at women who appreciate a clean, professional scent profile. It opens with a crisp combination of Italian bergamot and freesia, quickly transitioning into a heart of soapy lily-of-the-valley and Bulgarian rose. This fragrance settles into a soft m…
Reviews →Begum by Xerjoff is an intense unisex chypre floral fragrance from the brand's premium 17/17 Stone Label collection. Master perfumer Chris Maurice constructed this scent around a lush contrast between vibrant fruit and heavy timber. It opens with a flash of tart red berries, bergamot, and freesia before revealing a de…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Balance or Begum?
Begum takes 5 of 7 categories. Balance is rated 3.14/5 from 76 votes; Begum is rated 4.16/5 from 140 votes. Choose Balance for a floral and white floral character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Begum for a woody and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Balance or Begum?
Begum lasts longest (Begum 84/100, Balance 50/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Balance or Begum?
Begum projects furthest (Begum 73/100, Balance 42/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Balance and Begum smell similar?
Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Freesia, Bergamot, Lily-of-the-Valley and Bulgarian Rose.
Is Balance or Begum better for summer or winter?
For summer, Balance is the stronger pick. For winter, Begum is the stronger pick. Balance suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Balance and Begum?
Balance has top notes of Freesia, Bergamot and Black Currant, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Bulgarian Rose and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Musk, Amber, Sandalwood and White Woods. Begum has top notes of Red Berries, Bergamot, Lemon and Freesia, heart notes of Damask Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Iris and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Sandalwood, Vanilla, Palisander Rosewood and Patchouli.
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