Fragrance comparison

Balance vs Sensual

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 141 ratings analysed

Balance

Symétrie

3.1476 votes

Rank #24,593 FloralWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

6 wins

Sensual

Johan B

4.3765 votes

Rank #10,988 CitrusWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sensual takes 6 of 7 categories.

Balance
Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Sensual
Choose it for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Balance1/7

Sensual6/7

Ratings & consensus: Sensual
Community sentiment: Sensual
Longevity: Sensual
Sillage & projection: Sensual
Value for money: Balance
Versatility: Sensual
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Sensual

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BalanceSymétrie

SensualJohan B

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.14/ 5 · 76 votes

Have 33%Had 27%Want 40%

4.37/ 5 · 65 votes

Have 39%Had 22%Want 38%

Category winnerSensualRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

7%Love

32%Like

37%Ok

20%Dislike

5%Hate

76 votes

52%Love

38%Like

3%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

65 votes

Category winnerSensualMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage42

♥ Love / hate54

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevitySensual

SillageSensual

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value79

¤ Price value72

Category winnerBalanceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

white floral92%

musky84%

citrus77%

fresh69%

green61%

citrus100%

white floral92%

fruity84%

floral77%

woody69%

green61%

Scent match57%Closely related · both white floral, floral and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

FreesiaBergamotBlack Currant

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyBulgarian RoseYlang-Ylang

Base

MuskAmberSandalwoodWhite Woods

Top15-30 mins

BergamotTangerineBlack CurrantNectarineApple

Heart2-4 hrs

GardeniaMagnoliaJasmineFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base4-6+ hrs

PatchouliMuskSandalwoodVanillaAmber

InformationalShared notesFreesia, Bergamot, Black Currant and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Sensual, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer77

Fall27

Winter12

Day100

Night26

Spring100

Summer71

Fall29

Winter29

Day100

Night48

Category winnerSensualMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

Men5

Unisex14

Women81

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,593

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#10,988

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews12

Category winnerSensualHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balance 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 →

Johan B Sensual opens with an immediate burst of sparkling bergamot, tangy tangerine, and crisp green apple. It wastes no time making an impression. The initial citrus rush carries a juicy sweetness from ripe nectarine and tart black currant. Within twenty minutes, the bright fruit notes step aside for a lush bouquet …

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, Balance or Sensual?

Sensual takes 6 of 7 categories. Balance is rated 3.14/5 from 76 votes; Sensual is rated 4.37/5 from 65 votes. Choose Balance for a floral and white floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Sensual for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Balance or Sensual?

Sensual lasts longest (Sensual 61/100, Balance 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balance or Sensual?

Sensual projects furthest (Sensual 59/100, Balance 42/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balance and Sensual smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, floral and citrus accords. Common notes include Freesia, Bergamot, Black Currant and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Balance or Sensual better for summer or winter?

For summer, Balance is the stronger pick. For winter, Sensual is the stronger pick. Balance suits daytime wear; Sensual suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balance and Sensual?

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. Sensual has top notes of Bergamot, Tangerine, Black Currant and Nectarine, heart notes of Gardenia, Magnolia, Jasmine and Freesia, a base of Patchouli, Musk, Sandalwood and Vanilla.