Fragrance comparison

Cereus No.3 vs Kobako

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 705 ratings analysed

Cereus No.3

Cereus

3.6929 votes

Rank #21,914 FloralCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

25%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Kobako

Bourjois

3.71676 votes

Rank #5,100 White FloralAnimalic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Kobako takes 6 of 7 categories.

Cereus No.3
Choose it for a floral and citrus character. Wins on versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Kobako
Choose it for a white floral and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Cereus No.31/7

Kobako6/7

Ratings & consensus: Kobako
Community sentiment: Kobako
Longevity: Kobako
Sillage & projection: Kobako
Value for money: Kobako
Versatility: Cereus No.3
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Kobako

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cereus No.3Cereus

KobakoBourjois

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.69/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 47%Had 20%Want 33%

3.71/ 5 · 676 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerKobakoRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

38%Like

3%Ok

24%Dislike

3%Hate

29 votes

26%Love

43%Like

8%Ok

18%Dislike

4%Hate

676 votes

Category winnerKobakoMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityKobako

SillageKobako

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value67

¤ Price value87

Category winnerKobakoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

citrus83%

fresh65%

rose48%

musky30%

white floral100%

animalic92%

musky84%

aldehydic77%

powdery69%

fresh61%

Scent match25%Clearly different · both fresh and musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Citruses

Heart2-4 hrs

MagnoliaPeonyJasmine

Base5-7 hrs

Musk

Top

AldehydesCinnamonCitruses

Heart

LilyJasmineIrisMagnoliaRoseGardenia

Base

CivetAmbergrisMusk

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Magnolia, Jasmine and Musk. Durations are only published for Cereus No.3, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring75

Summer100

Fall13

Winter0

Day100

Night21

Spring42

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCereus No.3Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Casual 43%Work 35%Date 15%Party 8%

Men1

Unisex26

Women73

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#21,914

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#5,100

PerfumerErnest Beaux

Launched—

Reviews38

Category winnerKobakoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cereus No.3 delivers an energetic splash of sharp citruses that quickly broadens into a lush bouquet of magnolia, pink peony, and clean jasmine. The first spritz greets you with an intense burst of tart lemon and grapefruit zest before calming down into dewy floral petals. It is crisp, feminine, and undeniably sunny. …

Reviews →

Bourjois Kobako opens with a sharp burst of soapy aldehydes and warm cinnamon before settling into a dense floral heart of jasmine and iris. Created by Ernest Beaux in 1936, this vintage formula shifts into a heavy base dominated by dirty civet and ambergris. It suits cold winter evenings when you want a nostalgic, an…

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, Cereus No.3 or Kobako?

Kobako takes 6 of 7 categories. Cereus No.3 is rated 3.69/5 from 29 votes; Kobako is rated 3.71/5 from 676 votes. Choose Cereus No.3 for a floral and citrus character. Wins on versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Kobako for a white floral and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Cereus No.3 or Kobako?

Kobako lasts longest (Kobako 72/100, Cereus No.3 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cereus No.3 or Kobako?

Kobako projects furthest (Kobako 69/100, Cereus No.3 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cereus No.3 and Kobako smell similar?

Clearly different: a 25% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh and musky accords. Common notes include Citruses, Magnolia, Jasmine and Musk.

Is Cereus No.3 or Kobako better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cereus No.3 is the stronger pick. For winter, Kobako is the stronger pick. Cereus No.3 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cereus No.3 and Kobako?

Cereus No.3 has top notes of Citruses, heart notes of Magnolia, Peony and Jasmine, a base of Musk. Kobako has top notes of Aldehydes, Cinnamon and Citruses, heart notes of Lily, Jasmine, Iris and Magnolia, a base of Civet, Ambergris and Musk.