Fragrance comparison

By the Fireplace vs Hunger

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

Updated 21 Oct 2026 27,390 ratings analysed

3 wins

By the Fireplace

Maison Martin Margiela · 2015

4.0927,372 votes

Rank #615 WoodyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

Hunger

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

3.7818 votes

Rank #22,266 Yellow FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

By the Fireplace takes 3 of 5 categories.

By the Fireplace
Choose it for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Hunger
Choose it for a yellow floral and green character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

By the Fireplace3/5

Hunger2/5

Ratings & consensus: By the Fireplace
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Hunger
Sillage & projection: By the Fireplace
Value for money: Hunger
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: By the Fireplace

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

By the FireplaceMaison Martin Margiela

HungerBlack Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 27,372 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

3.78/ 5 · 18 votes

Have 49%Had 7%Want 44%

Category winnerBy the FireplaceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

53%Love

28%Like

9%Ok

7%Dislike

3%Hate

23,268 votes

28%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

17%Dislike

6%Hate

18 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityHunger

SillageBy the Fireplace

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value56

Category winnerHungerBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

vanilla92%

balsamic84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

powdery61%

yellow floral100%

green90%

vanilla80%

white floral70%

balsamic60%

aromatic50%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both vanilla and balsamic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ClovesPink PepperOrange Blossom

Heart

ChestnutGuaiac WoodJuniper

Base

VanillaPeru BalsamCashmeran

Notes

Black NarcissusVanillaOrange Blossom

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesOrange Blossom and Vanilla. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring10

Summer6

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex60

Women11

Men20

Unisex60

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#615

PerfumerMarie Salamagne

Launched2015

Reviews1,679

Overall rank#22,266

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerBy the FireplaceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

By the Fireplace by Maison Martin Margiela centers on a bold, photorealistic woody-spicy profile that mimics the smell of burning logs and roasted chestnuts. This cozy, resinous fragrance is designed for cold winter weather, providing an intimate, warm experience on the skin. Its composition balances smoky intensity w…

Reviews →

Hunger reads less like a sugary vanilla and more like a dark floral oil warmed by vanilla and a touch of orange blossom. On skin, reviewers describe an orange-led opening that quickly turns green, resinous, piney, and softly sweet. It suits wearers who like BPAL’s moodier florals more than dessert scents. Sample firs…

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, By the Fireplace or Hunger?

By the Fireplace takes 3 of 5 categories. By the Fireplace is rated 4.09/5 from 27,372 votes; Hunger is rated 3.78/5 from 18 votes. Choose By the Fireplace for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Hunger for a yellow floral and green character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, By the Fireplace or Hunger?

Hunger lasts longest (Hunger 80/100, By the Fireplace 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, By the Fireplace or Hunger?

By the Fireplace projects furthest (By the Fireplace 60/100, Hunger 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do By the Fireplace and Hunger smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla and balsamic accords. Common notes include Orange Blossom and Vanilla.

Is By the Fireplace or Hunger better for summer or winter?

Hunger suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in By the Fireplace and Hunger?

By the Fireplace has top notes of Cloves, Pink Pepper and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Chestnut, Guaiac Wood and Juniper, a base of Vanilla, Peru Balsam and Cashmeran. Hunger features Black Narcissus, Vanilla and Orange Blossom.