Fragrance comparison

Clearwater vs True Instinct

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 37 ratings analysed

3 wins

Clearwater

Fulton & Roark

3.6213 votes

Rank #22,909 AromaticMarine

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

True Instinct

Oriflame

3.5024 votes

Rank #46,353 AquaticOzonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Clearwater takes 3 of 4 categories.

Clearwater
Choose it for a aromatic and marine character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
True Instinct
Choose it for a aquatic and ozonic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Clearwater3/4

True Instinct1/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ClearwaterFulton & Roark

True InstinctOriflame

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.62/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 45%Had 14%Want 41%

3.50/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 19%Had 57%Want 25%

Category winnerClearwaterRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

38%Like

0%Ok

23%Dislike

8%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

17%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

33%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity42

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityClearwater

SillageTrue Instinct

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

marine90%

fresh spicy80%

salty70%

rose60%

aquatic50%

aquatic100%

ozonic92%

marine84%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy69%

woody61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both aromatic, marine and aquatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Sea NotesGeraniumOakmoss

No top / heart / base split published

Top

WatermelonSea NotesGreen Apple

Heart

NutmegGingerGeranium

Base

CedarOakmossTonka BeanLeather

InformationalShared notesSea Notes, Geranium and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Clearwater, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer75

Fall50

Winter0

Day100

Night32

Spring60

Summer100

Fall20

Winter70

Day100

Night60

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

Casual 40%Work 36%Date 15%Party 9%

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,909

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#46,353

PerfumerNathalie Feisthauer

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerClearwaterHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Clearwater by Fulton & Roark delivers a bracing, unconventional twist on the traditional marine cologne. You get an immediate splash of salty sea notes right out of the gate. Crisp geranium leaves follow close behind, cutting through the ocean mist with a sharp, green herbal bite that borders on minty rose. Beneath th…

Reviews →

True Instinct by Oriflame opens with crisp watermelon, cool sea notes, and tart green apple. As the aquatic top settles, a fresh heart of geranium, ginger, and nutmeg introduces a subtle, spicy kick. The dry-down brings out clean cedarwood, oakmoss, and a touch of leather, keeping the ozonic freshness anchored on skin…

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, Clearwater or True Instinct?

Clearwater takes 3 of 4 categories. Clearwater is rated 3.62/5 from 13 votes; True Instinct is rated 3.50/5 from 24 votes. Choose Clearwater for a aromatic and marine character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose True Instinct for a aquatic and ozonic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Clearwater or True Instinct?

Clearwater lasts longest (Clearwater 48/100, True Instinct 42/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Clearwater or True Instinct?

True Instinct projects furthest (True Instinct 50/100, Clearwater 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Clearwater and True Instinct smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, marine and aquatic accords. Common notes include Sea Notes, Geranium and Oakmoss.

Is Clearwater or True Instinct better for summer or winter?

Clearwater suits daytime wear; True Instinct suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Clearwater and True Instinct?

Clearwater features Sea Notes, Geranium and Oakmoss. True Instinct has top notes of Watermelon, Sea Notes and Green Apple, heart notes of Nutmeg, Ginger and Geranium, a base of Cedar, Oakmoss, Tonka Bean and Leather.